CVE-2026-98381 veth: manage XDP program pointers during channel resize
A use-after-free in the Linux kernel veth driver allows local attackers to cause a system crash or potentially execute code during channel resizing.
- 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-2026-98381?
CVE-2026-98381 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 9 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:
veth: manage XDP program pointers during channel resize
veth_set_channels() tears down XDP resources for removed RX queues without clearing rq->xdp_prog. If the program is then detached or replaced, those queues keep the old pointer after bpf_prog_put(). A later channel increase can re-enable NAPI and run the freed program.
BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ffffc90000256048 Oops: Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP KASAN NOPTI RIP: veth_xdp_rcv_skb (include/linux/filter.h:779 include/net/xdp.h:696 drivers/net/veth.c:820) Call Trace: veth_xdp_rcv (drivers/net/veth.c:941) veth_poll (drivers/net/veth.c:986) __napi_poll (net/core/dev.c:7787) net_rx_action (net/core/dev.c:7850 net/core/dev.c:8007) handle_softirqs (kernel/softirq.c:645) Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception in interrupt
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98381?
How do I fix CVE-2026-98381?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-98381 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98381 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-106910, BELL-CVE-2026-98381, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98381, GHSA-82qv-gm43-p9vj, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98381.