VulnerabilityPublished 26 Oct 2026Updated 27 Oct 2026

CVE-2026-98966: Linux kernel · bonding: fix the program leak when XDP is replaced

Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database

Authoritative record:CVE-2026-98966· Low

Not known to be exploited.

Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 02:12 UTC

Severity

Low

Rated by Threat Radar · CVSS not yet scored by NVD

Exploitation 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.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
Ubuntu 26.10linux`pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=stonking`Other threats	Affected 7.0.0-14.14 – 7.3.0-9.9 6 affected builds	Fixed in–
Ubuntu 26.10linux-aws`pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=stonking`Other threats	Affected 7.0.0-1004.4 – 7.3.0-1003.3 5 affected builds	Fixed in–
Ubuntu 26.10linux-azure`pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=stonking`Other threats	Affected 7.0.0-1004.4 – 7.3.0-1003.3 5 affected builds	Fixed in–
Ubuntu 26.10linux-azure-fde`pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=stonking`Other threats	Affected =7.0.0-1004.4 =7.3.0-1002.3 =7.3.0-1003.4	Fixed in–
Ubuntu 26.10linux-gcp`pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=stonking`Other threats	Affected 7.0.0-1003.3 – 7.3.0-1003.3 5 affected builds	Fixed in–
Ubuntu 26.10linux-oracle`pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-oracle?arch=source&distro=stonking`Other threats	Affected 7.0.0-1003.3 – 7.3.0-1003.3 5 affected builds	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 in the specified Linux kernel versions listed as affected. Users should upgrade to these fixed versions or later to remediate the issue. Since this is a kernel-level fix, applying the updated kernel packages from the vendor is the recommended mitigation.

Description

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel bonding driver caused a program leak when the eXpress Data Path (XDP) program was replaced. The issue involved failing to release the reference on the old BPF program when switching to no program or replacing it with another, leading to accumulation of leaked programs. This flaw has been fixed in specific Linux kernel versions.

Impact

The vulnerability causes a resource leak of BPF programs in the kernel bonding driver when XDP programs are replaced or removed. While this does not directly indicate a security compromise such as privilege escalation or denial of service, the leak could lead to resource exhaustion over time, potentially impacting system stability.

Summary

CVE-2026-98966 addresses a resource leak in the Linux kernel bonding driver related to the handling of XDP programs. When an XDP program is replaced or removed, the kernel failed to release the reference to the old BPF program, causing program leaks. The fix ensures proper release of the old BPF program reference in all replacement scenarios. This vulnerability was identified through AI-assisted testing and will be accompanied by a selftest in the net-next series to prevent conflicts.

GCVE source: db.gcve.eu
OSV ID: UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98966
Osv Schema Version: 1.7.0
Ecosystems: Ubuntu:16.04:LTS, Ubuntu:18.04:LTS, Ubuntu:20.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS, Ubuntu:22.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Nvidia-BlueField:22.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:Realtime:22.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-preview:22.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:22.04:LTS, Ubuntu:24.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Nvidia-BlueField:24.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:Realtime:24.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:24.04:LTS, Ubuntu:26.10, Ubuntu:26.04:LTS

References

Community reviews

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 28 Oct 2026, 02:12 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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