CVE-2026-98040: Linux kernel · bpf: Mark the zero register precise for a register-form NULL check
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited : upgrade to ddca9a3b8833168dda3e62676648a636fb3f221c or 6aed0134d3cda6382385a734ae0158eb7df6b142 soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC
Rated High by Threat Radar's AI analysis · CVSS not yet scored by NVD
- EPSS
- 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 10% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in ddca9a3b8833168dda3e62676648a636fb3f221c, 6aed0134d3cda6382385a734ae0158eb7df6b142
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 Linux kernel to ddca9a3b8833168dda3e62676648a636fb3f221c or 6aed0134d3cda6382385a734ae0158eb7df6b142.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
A fix is available and has been applied in the Linux kernel commits ddca9a3b8833168dda3e62676648a636fb3f221c and 6aed0134d3cda6382385a734ae0158eb7df6b142. Users and administrators should update to a Linux kernel version that includes these fixes to mitigate the vulnerability.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's BPF verifier allows improper handling of NULL checks involving the zero register. This flaw can cause the verifier to incorrectly accept a program path where a pointer is dereferenced despite being NULL at runtime, potentially leading to a NULL pointer dereference.