CVE-2026-98089 bonding: alb: fix uninitialized transport header access in alb_determine_nd()
An attacker can trigger out-of-bounds memory access in the Linux kernel bonding driver via crafted ICMPv6 packets, potentially causing a crash or code execution.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-98089?
CVE-2026-98089 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 25 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
bonding: alb: fix uninitialized transport header access in alb_determine_nd()
alb_determine_nd() uses icmp6_hdr(skb) to inspect ICMPv6 headers. However, in xmit paths (e.g. packets sent via AF_PACKET / raw sockets or forwarded packets), skb->transport_header is not guaranteed to be initialized. While pskb_network_may_pull() ensures the packet data is linear starting from the network header, it does not set or adjust the transport header offset.
Dereferencing icmp6_hdr(skb) can therefore access out-of-bounds memory.
Fetch the icmp6hdr directly after ipv6hdr following pskb_network_may_pull(), and reload ipv6hdr in case pskb_may_pull() reallocated skb->head. Also remove the unused bond argument from alb_determine_nd().
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98089?
How do I fix CVE-2026-98089?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.
Is CVE-2026-98089 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98089 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-104669, BELL-CVE-2026-98089, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98089, GHSA-3x47-v429-xjvw, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98089.