CVE-2026-98241 ipv6: xfrm: use full sockets in local error paths
A memory corruption vulnerability in the Linux kernel IPv6 XFRM module allows attackers to read beyond allocated memory or cause crashes via crafted network traffic.
- 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
What is CVE-2026-98241?
CVE-2026-98241 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 6 Oct 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:
ipv6: xfrm: use full sockets in local error paths
xfrm6_local_rxpmtu() and xfrm6_local_error() dereference skb->sk as if it always pointed at a full IPv6 socket.
That is not guaranteed. TCP SYN-ACK skbs can be owned by a TCP_NEW_SYN_RECV request_sock while the output path itself is driven by the full listener. If rerouting selects an IPv6 XFRM tunnel route with a lower MTU, the local PMTU/error handling path can reach these callbacks with that mini-socket still attached to the skb.
The callbacks then miscast the request socket as a full inet/IPv6 socket and can read beyond the request_sock allocation when they access inet_sock or ipv6_pinfo state.
Resolve the owner with skb_to_full_sk() in both callbacks and bail out when no full socket is attached. This matches the surrounding XFRM IPv6 PMTU/error logic, which already reasons about full sockets with skb_to_full_sk().
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98241?
How do I fix CVE-2026-98241?
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-2026-98241 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98241 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-106128, BELL-CVE-2026-98241, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98241, GHSA-5mfq-x364-3h2r, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98241.