CVE-2026-98021: Linux kernel · net: reject oversized tx_queue_len at netlink parse time
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · fixed in a638a2625aa83160a394abe8e8b2e524a80c771b : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:18 UTC
Rated by Threat Radar · CVSS not yet scored by NVD
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 7% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in a638a2625aa83160a394abe8e8b2e524a80c771b, 45ca9f59b6c7ea70e0a17054902b8a556913db34, 26ee5f99ffe7ab98e635071290eff14192e9e34a +2
Exploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 25 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
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: reject oversized tx_queue_len at netlink parse time rtnl_create_link() assigns IFLA_TXQLEN directly to dev->tx_queue_len without going through netif_change_tx_queue_len(), so a device created with "ip link add ... txqueuelen 500000" bypasses the S16_MAX cap and still triggers the oversized ring allocations in pfifo_fast, tun and tap. The veth peer nest (rtnl_nla_parse_ifinfomsg()) and the RTM_NEWLINK-on-existing-device path reach the same sinks. Enforce the cap in ifla_policy instead: IFLA_TXQLEN becomes NLA_POLICY_FULL_RANGE(NLA_U32, &txqlen_range) with txqlen_range = { .min = 0, .max = S16_MAX }. All netlink consumers parse against this policy - rtnl_setlink(), rtnl_newlink() (create and change), and the veth peer nest - so every netlink path is capped at parse time and rejects the attribute with -ERANGE plus a proper "integer out of range" extack message before any device state is modified (the RTM_SETLINK half-application wart is gone with it). Document the bound in the rt-link.yaml netlink spec. Conditions to recreate the bug: - CONFIG_NET_SCHED=y, CONFIG_VETH=y, CONFIG_USER_NS=y, CONFIG_NET_NS=y. - Unprivileged user in a fresh user+net namespace (unshare -Urn): ip link add v0 txqueuelen 500000 type veth peer name v1 -> on the fixed kernel this is rejected with -ERANGE ("integer out of range" extack) instead of installing an oversized tx_queue_len that later inflates pfifo_fast/tun/tap ring allocations. - ip link set v0 txqueuelen 500000 is likewise rejected at parse time.
References
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/26ee5f99ffe7ab98e635071290eff14192e9e34a (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/45ca9f59b6c7ea70e0a17054902b8a556913db34 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2fd0880f0272ec022906a05587fd91416ebecc38 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a638a2625aa83160a394abe8e8b2e524a80c771b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1aa9e143bf51405665a793d4cc925e1c4f0c5922 (opens in a new tab)