CVE-2026-98268: Linux kernel · perf: Fix null pointer access in is_include_guest_event()
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited : upgrade to 88aed0422f39b22406f35f1e758cea25e7bbcfb5 or 7fa9a465ae8f07c0e4685db6edb6a6f984dbd784 soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 12:55 UTC
Rated High by Threat Radar's AI analysis · CVSS not yet scored by NVD
- 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.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 88aed0422f39b22406f35f1e758cea25e7bbcfb5, 7fa9a465ae8f07c0e4685db6edb6a6f984dbd784
Exploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 6 Oct 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 88aed0422f39b22406f35f1e758cea25e7bbcfb5 or 7fa9a465ae8f07c0e4685db6edb6a6f984dbd784.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
A fix is available in Linux kernel version 7.0 and specific commits (88aed0422f39b22406f35f1e758cea25e7bbcfb5, 7fa9a465ae8f07c0e4685db6edb6a6f984dbd784). Users should update to these versions or later to remediate the issue.
Description
A null pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's perf subsystem was fixed in version 7.0. The issue occurs during module unload events with active perf connections, leading to a kernel crash due to accessing a null pmu pointer in is_include_guest_event(). The fix adds a null check and adjusts the order of function calls to maintain correct event counts.