CVE-2026-98842: Linux kernel · module: fix lost error code from codetag_load_module()
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · fixed in c79cf15eb35a4c703bf18f8c33c47e80dd660f8e : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 12:55 UTC
Rated Medium by Threat Radar's AI analysis · CVSS not yet scored by NVD
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 5% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in c79cf15eb35a4c703bf18f8c33c47e80dd660f8e, bfc721eef5c13704efe6864c7da2ad4b0d75f60a, 258310d59a82ea4854bfd9138682bbaac1153b19 +1
Exploitation 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
Upgrade Linux kernel to c79cf15eb35a4c703bf18f8c33c47e80dd660f8e, bfc721eef5c13704efe6864c7da2ad4b0d75f60a, 258310d59a82ea4854bfd9138682bbaac1153b19 or 6.16.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
Upgrade affected Linux kernel versions to 6.16 or later, where the issue has been fixed. The fix includes proper error code handling in codetag_load_module() and cleanup of livepatch module allocations on error paths. No additional mitigation is required beyond applying the official kernel update.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's module loading process was fixed where the function codetag_load_module() failed to properly set an error code upon failure. This caused load_module() to incorrectly return success (0) even after the module teardown. Additionally, a memory leak issue was addressed for livepatch modules where allocated memory was not freed on error paths. The issue affects Linux kernel versions 6.15.4 through 6.16 and was resolved in version 6.16.