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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-98368

🗓️ 06 Oct 2026 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 6 Views

Use-after-free and memory leak in Linux ESP regarding zerocopy managed frags.

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
cve
CVE
CVE-2026-98368
6 Oct 202608:46
–cve
cvelist
Cvelist
CVE-2026-98368 esp: downgrade zerocopy managed frags before mutating skb frags
6 Oct 202608:46
–cvelist
debiancve
Debian CVE
CVE-2026-98368
6 Oct 202608:46
–debiancve
euvd
EUVD
EUVD-2026-93353
6 Oct 202608:46
–euvd
mscve
Microsoft CVE
esp: downgrade zerocopy managed frags before mutating skb frags
7 Oct 202608:07
–mscve
nvd
NVD
CVE-2026-98368
6 Oct 202609:18
–nvd
osv
OSV
AZL-106310 CVE-2026-98368 affecting package kernel 6.6.157.1-1
6 Oct 202609:18
–osv
osv
OSV
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98368
6 Oct 202609:18
–osv
osv
OSV
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98368
6 Oct 202609:18
–osv
ptsecurity
Positive Technologies
PT-2026-106697
6 Oct 202600:00
–ptsecurity
Rows per page
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(363275);
  script_version("1.1");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/10/06");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2026-98368");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-98368");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - esp: downgrade zerocopy managed frags before mutating skb frags On the out-of-place output path
    (esp->inplace == false) ESP rewrites the skb frag array: esp_output_head() appends a trailer frag and
    esp_output_tail() replaces the frags with a destination page, both referenced with get_page(). When the
    skb carries zerocopy managed frags (SKBFL_MANAGED_FRAG_REFS) the payload frags are owned by the ubuf and
    must not be referenced or unreferenced individually, but ESP mutates the frag array without ever
    downgrading the skb. This breaks the managed-frag invariant two ways: - esp_ssg_unref() walks the source
    scatterlist and drops a page reference for every frag, including the ubuf-owned payload frags, pushing
    their refcount below the GUP pin bias while the pages are still pinned, i.e. a use-after-free of the
    zerocopy pages; - esp_output_tail() installs its destination page as frag 0 with get_page() but leaves
    SKBFL_MANAGED_FRAG_REFS set, so skb_release_data() takes the skip_unref branch and never drops that
    reference, leaking the x->xfrag page at packet rate. Fix this the way every other frag-mutating site does
    (__ip_append_data(), __ip6_append_data(), tcp_sendmsg_locked()) and call skb_zcopy_downgrade_managed()
    before ESP touches the frag array: it takes a real reference on each existing frag and clears
    SKBFL_MANAGED_FRAG_REFS, so the per-frag unref in esp_ssg_unref() and the frag release in
    skb_release_data() are both balanced and no mixed-ownership frag array is left behind. (CVE-2026-98368)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-98368");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2026-98368");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2026/10/06");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2026/10/06");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:12.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:13.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:linux");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Debian Linux-12", "Host/OS/Debian Linux-13");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Debian Linux-12": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "12",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "btrfs-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "cdrom-core-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "ext4-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "fat-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "isofs-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "jfs-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "kernel-image-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc-6.1"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.1.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-source"},
          {"reference": "linux-source-6.1"},
          {"reference": "linux-support-6.1.0"},
          {"reference": "loop-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "nic-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "nic-shared-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "nic-wireless-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "pata-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "ppp-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "scsi-core-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "scsi-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "scsi-nic-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "serial-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "usb-serial-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "xfs-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Debian Linux-13": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "13",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "bpftool"},
          {"reference": "hyperv-daemons"},
          {"reference": "intel-sdsi"},
          {"reference": "libcpupower-dev"},
          {"reference": "libcpupower1"},
          {"reference": "linux-bpf-dev"},
          {"reference": "linux-config-6.12"},
          {"reference": "linux-cpupower"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc-6.12"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-4kc-malta"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-5kc-malta"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-4kc-malta"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-5kc-malta"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-alpha-generic"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-alpha-smp"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-amd64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-arm64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-arm64-16k"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-armmp"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-armmp-lpae"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-cloud-amd64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-cloud-arm64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-common"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-common-rt"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-loong64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-loongson-3"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-m68k"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-mips32r2eb"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-mips32r2el"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.107+deb13-mips64r2eb"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');

var third_party_support = get_kb_item('Host/OS/extended-third-party');
if (!empty_or_null(third_party_support)) {
    var third_party_vendors = distro_constraints_values['third_party'];
    if (!empty_or_null(third_party_vendors)) {
        var vendor;
        foreach vendor (third_party_vendors) {
            if (vendor == third_party_support) exit(0, 'A third party management patch is available for this vulnerability from ' + vendor + '.\n');
        }
    }
}

var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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06 Oct 2026 00:00Current
5.9Medium risk
Vulners AI Score5.9
CVSS 3.17.8
EPSS0.00126
6