CVE-2026-98573: Linux kernel · net: skbuff: fix pull-bound underflow in skb_checksum_setup_ipv6()
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.2 High.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 01:28 UTC
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 18 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
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.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: skbuff: fix pull-bound underflow in skb_checksum_setup_ipv6() skb_maybe_pull_tail() subtracts skb_headlen(skb) from the unsigned max argument and passes the result to __pskb_pull_tail() as a signed int. The function does not ensure that max is at least skb_headlen(skb). This can happen while parsing IPv6 extension headers when an skb already has a linear area larger than MAX_IPV6_HDR_LEN. Once the parser needs data beyond the linear area, max - skb_headlen(skb) wraps and is converted to a negative delta. __pskb_pull_tail() then passes that negative length to skb_copy_bits(), where it can become a very large copy length. Pass the requested length itself as the pull bound at the three extension-header call sites, so the delta can no longer go negative.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-98573 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98573 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a0ad0473c09d2e947aecac5c82e637ec85924b12 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6c28c31f051dbf49c71ba7ab7bb9bc905fa1d14b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b4e0b0c008a8c1b474730248cd5b873026c74bd (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/cfa643f2ca36c6f913fe1a2ceb12412ebb0fd962 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/718747afa5463d9cc5fd9a09f03b2a492edd9b78 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d7f474226809471dc7877435e9c492cc914df0bf (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b2da5ed3d8c75e1b729a21b6d3beaed415e263f6 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9c4e432132a97b82edf28fa172c39f743e6bfb26 (opens in a new tab)