VulnerabilityPublished 26 Oct 2026Updated 27 Oct 2026

CVE-2026-98969: Linux kernel · net/sched: em_text: reject unterminated algo before autoload

Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database

Authoritative record:CVE-2026-98969· Medium

Not known to be exploited.

Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 02:12 UTC

Severity

Medium

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 that rejects the netlink attribute if the algo array does not contain a NUL terminator within the expected length. Users should update to patched kernel versions that include this validation. Until patched, avoid adding filters with unterminated algo arrays to prevent triggering the vulnerability.

Description

CVE-2026-98969 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's net/sched subsystem, specifically in the em_text module. It involves improper validation of a 16-byte algorithm name array that lacks a NUL terminator, leading to an out-of-bounds read and kernel memory disclosure. The flaw occurs when the kernel attempts to autoload a module using this unterminated string, potentially leaking kernel memory contents. The issue was addressed by rejecting attributes without a NUL terminator within the expected size.

Impact

The vulnerability allows an attacker with CAP_NET_ADMIN capability in the target network namespace to cause the kernel to read beyond the bounds of a fixed-size array and disclose kernel memory contents. This can lead to information leakage from kernel memory, which may aid further attacks or reconnaissance. The add operation fails with -ENOENT, and the kernel attempts to invoke modprobe with a crafted module name containing leaked memory data.

Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel's net/sched em_text module arises from em_text_change() casting a raw netlink attribute payload to a struct containing a 16-byte algo array without enforced NUL termination. When textsearch_prepare() retries with TS_AUTOLOAD, it calls request_module() with a module name constructed from this algo array. Because vsnprintf() expects a NUL-terminated string, the lack of termination causes it to read beyond the array bounds into adjacent kernel memory, passing unintended data to the usermode helper command line. This results in an out-of-bounds read and kernel memory disclosure. The fix rejects the attribute if no NUL is found within the 16-byte algo array, aligning with prior checks in similar code.

GCVE source: db.gcve.eu
OSV ID: UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98969
Osv Schema Version: 1.7.0
Ecosystems: Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS, Ubuntu:16.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:16.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS:16.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS, Ubuntu:18.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:18.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS:18.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS, Ubuntu:20.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS-updates:20.04:LTS, Ubuntu:Pro:FIPS: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

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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

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