CVE-2026-98305: Linux kernel · net: dsa: mxl862xx: disable the stats poll on teardown
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High : upgrade to 97df811a11d4f76bc2ffe67b6bf730263f56c668 or 9e92ad4630f5dd1838ce6bbe6b1bd2c73d34de36 soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 2% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 97df811a11d4f76bc2ffe67b6bf730263f56c668, 9e92ad4630f5dd1838ce6bbe6b1bd2c73d34de36
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation 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 97df811a11d4f76bc2ffe67b6bf730263f56c668 or 9e92ad4630f5dd1838ce6bbe6b1bd2c73d34de36.
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 the Linux kernel commits identified by hashes 97df811a11d4f76bc2ffe67b6bf730263f56c668 and 9e92ad4630f5dd1838ce6bbe6b1bd2c73d34de36. Users should update to a kernel version including these fixes. No additional mitigations are specified or required beyond applying the official patch.
Description
CVE-2026-98305 is a high-severity vulnerability in the Linux kernel's DSA (Distributed Switch Architecture) driver for the mxl862xx device. The issue arises because the stats polling mechanism is armed before the setup process completes, and there is no proper stop mechanism on teardown or error paths. This can cause the polling function to access freed memory, leading to potential crashes or data corruption. The flaw has been fixed by ensuring the poll is only armed after successful setup and properly disabled during teardown and shutdown.