CVE-2026-98078: Linux kernel · ipvs: fix reversed sequence option serialization
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 4.4 Medium.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 4% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:LExploitation 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
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 for this vulnerability has been implemented in the Linux kernel. Users should apply the official patches or kernel updates that correct the argument ordering in the hton_seq() function. Since this is a kernel-level issue, updating to a fixed kernel version is the recommended remediation.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's IP Virtual Server (ipvs) component involves incorrect argument ordering in the hton_seq() function during sequence option serialization. This flaw causes 24 bytes of a kmalloc-backed message to remain unwritten, potentially disclosing stale heap data and allowing replacement of live connection sequence state with stale buffer values. The issue has been resolved by correcting the argument order to pass the connection sequence state as the source and the message payload as the destination.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-98078 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98078 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b04578b74f2d3755548fe9e829e3b2a6c6f966a1 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/524599714558da83747c04952d378155c69f5b6b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/de6cc6ec7932bc530f2bb92005dac9123d50659c (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e1c9f9446d3eaae323f1689f9e5de3b1ad6e47ec (opens in a new tab)
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98078 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/677ff8ab30a663cde984d8afe86465fd0d81aeef (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ae38b2ae16f709c0193e1b4340bde26ef3e2687d (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/bbc68ba258a4eb0a2ca3b3a105550801aa8b00b0 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f487b5788f15c6c32a219ed1480d25c93fc18d30 (opens in a new tab)