CVE-2026-98862: Linux kernel · audit: fix exe mark UAF in kill_rules()
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.1 High.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 02:26 UTC
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:NExploitation 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.
AI-suggested
A fix is available that modifies the kill_rules() function to safely defer freeing executable marks until after an RCU grace period. Users should apply the official patches or updated kernel versions that include this fix. No additional mitigation steps are indicated beyond applying the patch.
Description
CVE-2026-98862 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's audit subsystem affecting the kill_rules() function. This flaw occurs when removing audit rules that monitor executable files, leading to a race condition where the executable mark can be freed while still in use. The issue is fixed by changing the removal process to wait for an RCU grace period before freeing executable marks, preventing use-after-free errors.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-98862 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98862 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f2cc5462b78559c7628a9f8ac9a9592e7783183a (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/88633025f20ba9c32ccdb3efc86eafdf98cb825c (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/304960900991157e6883bdf0b39782b690545ee8 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/aa650d87a498844060eecb1d336f4d46f4d1b0b3 (opens in a new tab)