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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-98549

🗓️ 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 1 Views

TCP skb collapse flaw in Linux kernel allows cleartext retransmission or connection stalls.

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
cve
CVE
CVE-2026-98549
18 Oct 202615:18
–cve
cvelist
Cvelist
CVE-2026-98549 tcp: prevent collapsing skbs across boundary in rtx queue
18 Oct 202615:18
–cvelist
debiancve
Debian CVE
CVE-2026-98549
18 Oct 202615:18
–debiancve
euvd
EUVD
EUVD-2026-103594
18 Oct 202615:18
–euvd
nvd
NVD
CVE-2026-98549
18 Oct 202616:17
–nvd
osv_azl
osv_azl
AZL-109181 CVE-2026-98549 affecting package kernel 6.6.157.1-1
18 Oct 202616:17
–osv_azl
osv_debian
osv_debian
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98549
18 Oct 202617:47
–osv_debian
ptsecurity
Positive Technologies
PT-2026-116768
18 Oct 202600:00
–ptsecurity
ubuntucve
UbuntuCve
CVE-2026-98549
19 Oct 202600:00
–ubuntucve
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(367052);
  script_version("1.1");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/10/18");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2026-98549");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-98549");

  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.

  - tcp: prevent collapsing skbs across boundary in rtx queue tcp_write_collapse_fence() sets
    TCP_SKB_CB(skb)->eor = 1 on tcp_write_queue_tail(sk) to prevent skbs queued after a switch to device
    encryption from being collapsed into earlier skbs. The fence is a no-op if all earlier data has already
    been transmitted when the switch happens: sk->sk_write_queue is empty. The not yet acknowledged earlier
    skbs wait in sk->tcp_rtx_queue with eor 0. On a subsequent retransmit or SACK shift,
    tcp_retrans_try_collapse() or tcp_shift_skb_data() can then merge an skb queued after the switch into one
    queued before it. Both users of the fence are affected: - psp: devices only encrypt skbs with
    skb->decrypted set. The merged skb keeps decrypted = 0 from the earlier skb, so merged data sent after
    psp_sock_assoc_set_tx() is retransmitted in cleartext. - tls device offload: the merged skb straddles the
    start marker set in tls_set_device_offload(). The software fallback (fill_sg_in() returns -EINVAL) and the
    mlx5, nfp and funeth drivers cannot handle such an skb and drop it. Every retransmit rebuilds the same
    skb, so the connection stalls. Fix this in two places, for defense in depth: 1. Fall back to
    tcp_rtx_queue_tail(sk) in tcp_write_collapse_fence() when tcp_write_queue_tail(sk) is NULL. 2. Check
    !skb_cmp_decrypted(to, from) in tcp_skb_can_collapse(), as tcp_skb_can_collapse_rx() does on receive.
    skb_shift(), which both collapse paths call, already has a DEBUG_NET_WARN_ON_ONCE() for this condition.
    (CVE-2026-98549)

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-2026-98549");
  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-2026-98549");

  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:"2026/10/18");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2026/10/18");

  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:"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");

  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"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

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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18 Oct 2026 00:00Current
5.8Medium risk
Vulners AI Score5.8
EPSS0.00129
1