# CVE-2026-98149: bpf: Fix percpu map update indexing with sparse CPU IDs

> A Linux kernel bug in BPF per-CPU map updates causes out-of-bounds reads when CPU IDs are sparse, potentially allowing local attackers to read memory or escalate privileges.

- **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:** 25 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98149, GHSA-hwjh-c457-8mjm, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98149

## What is CVE-2026-98149?

CVE-2026-98149 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, 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:

bpf: Fix percpu map update indexing with sparse CPU IDs

Per-CPU array, hash, and cgroup storage map updates without BPF_F_CPU
or BPF_F_ALL_CPUS use a value buffer whose per-CPU slots are packed in
possible-CPU order. The buffer is sized as:

  round_up(value_size, 8) * num_possible_cpus()

The update paths iterate over possible CPUs, but use the logical CPU ID
to calculate the source offset:

  value + size * cpu

This only works when possible CPU IDs are contiguous starting at zero.

For example, with a possible CPU mask of 0,2-3, the buffer contains
three slots corresponding to CPUs 0, 2, and 3. CPU2 is therefore
expected to use slot 1 and CPU3 slot 2. Instead, the current code uses
slots 2 and 3 respectively, causing incorrect per-CPU values and an
out-of-bounds read from the update buffer for CPU3.

The corresponding lookup paths already use a dense offset while
iterating over possible CPUs. Do the same for the array, hash, and
cgroup storage update paths, advancing the source offset once for each
possible CPU. BPF_F_ALL_CPUS continues to use the same value for every
CPU.

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98149?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-98149?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-98149 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98149 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-98149 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-98149 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, 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-2026-98149 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. 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-2026-98149/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98149/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98149
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98149
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-98149

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98149/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.