CVE-2026-98965: Linux kernel · ice: Restore Ordered MMIO Writes for Tx Doorbells
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.5 High.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 02:11 UTC
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 23 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 26.10linuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=stonkingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.10linux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=stonkingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.10linux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=stonkingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=stonkingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.10linux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=stonkingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.10linux-oraclepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-oracle?arch=source&distro=stonkingOther 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 restores the use of writel() instead of writel_relaxed() for the hardware doorbell write in the ice driver, ensuring proper ordering of MMIO writes. Users should apply the updated Linux kernel versions that include this fix to prevent kernel crashes related to this issue.
Description
CVE-2026-98965 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ice driver for Intel Ethernet Controller E810-XXV on arm64 architectures. The issue arises from the use of writel_relaxed() for updating hardware transmit doorbells, which does not guarantee proper ordering of memory-mapped I/O writes. This can cause a race condition where the NIC starts transmitting before the driver updates the transmit queue accounting state, leading to a kernel BUG and crash under sustained network load. The problem was introduced by a change from writel() to writel_relaxed() and has been resolved by restoring the original writel() usage.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-98965 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98965 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7a579dec8423bba7bec96fcfcb2e30838b0858ee (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7725acf9c574debb97ae1613569ac9e148438be (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f94ab1fffd009250d72c6dc1662cb84467ac5365 (opens in a new tab)