# CVE-2026-97955: net: mana: restore the XDP program pointer when pre-allocation fails

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel mana driver allows local attackers with high privileges to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges when XDP buffer allocation fails.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-97955, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97955, GHSA-3q2p-qw3j-4h22, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97955

## What is CVE-2026-97955?

CVE-2026-97955 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 25 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:

net: mana: restore the XDP program pointer when pre-allocation fails

mana_xdp_set() publishes the new program into apc->bpf_prog before it
allocates anything, because mana_pre_alloc_rxbufs() sizes the buffers
from it via mana_get_rxbuf_cfg(). When that allocation fails the
function returns the error directly, skipping the err_dealloc_rxbuffs
label which is the only place that restores the previous pointer.

The attach is reported as failed, so the BPF core drops the reference it
held for the caller and the program can be freed, while apc->bpf_prog
still points at it. The next consumer of mana_xdp_get() - typically
mana_chn_setxdp() from mana_alloc_queues() on the following ifup, or
after a TX timeout reset - then calls bpf_prog_add() on freed memory.

This is reachable from an ordinary "ip link set dev ethX xdp obj ..."
whenever the per-queue RX buffer pre-allocation cannot be satisfied.

Restore the previous program on that error path.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-97955?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-97955?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-97955 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-97955 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-97955 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-97955 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 25 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-2026-97955 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-2026-97955/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97955/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-97955
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97955
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97955

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97955/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.