# CVE-2026-90217: bpf: Compare iterator types during state pruning

> A flaw in the Linux kernel BPF verifier allows unsafe path pruning, potentially enabling privilege escalation or code execution.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-90217, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-90217, GHSA-xq4r-6342-2fvw, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-90217

## What is CVE-2026-90217?

CVE-2026-90217 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux, published on 17 Sep 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

bpf: Compare iterator types during state pruning

An iterator stack slot can be MEM_RCU or PTR_UNTRUSTED. These states
must not be equal, or the verifier can prune an unsafe path.

Compare the pointer type for STACK_ITER slots.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-90217?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-90217?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-90217 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-90217 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-90217 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-90217 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux, published on 17 Sep 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-90217 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-90217/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-90217/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-90217
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-90217
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-90217

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-90217/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.