CVE-2026-89538: Linux kernel · SUNRPC: Reject krb5 v2 wrap tokens with oversized ec field
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.8 Critical.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.7% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 53% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 11 Sep 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel to reject Kerberos v2 wrap tokens with oversized ec fields before buffer trimming, preventing inconsistent buffer states. Users should apply the official Linux kernel updates that address this issue. Since this is a kernel-level vulnerability, updating to a patched kernel version is the recommended remediation. Patch status is confirmed by the resolved vulnerability report.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's SUNRPC implementation involving Kerberos v2 wrap tokens with oversized 'extra count' (ec) fields has been resolved. The flaw allowed tokens with structurally malformed headers per RFC 4121 to cause the internal buffer to enter an inconsistent state, potentially leading to memory handling issues. The fix rejects such tokens early, returning a defined error and maintaining buffer consistency.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89538 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1f9856af065b6158271687e9788407b9573fd16f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/880effc943ed82d6811f272ed3307c222b40f4d6 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ad484748eec0a66eac0f13ab53b3fbedb7333c91 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/dfcd81ab45613d45996fbf483d4ef54b0ec90ab9 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-89538 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-89538 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/ad484748eec0a66eac0f13ab53b3fbedb7333c91 (opens in a new tab)