# CVE-2026-98534: ipe: fix use-after-free when auditing a newly loaded policy

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel IPE subsystem allows local attackers to execute code or escalate privileges via a race condition during policy loading.

- **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:** 18 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-98534, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98534, GHSA-rvjx-cgvf-j557, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98534

## What is CVE-2026-98534?

CVE-2026-98534 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 18 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:

ipe: fix use-after-free when auditing a newly loaded policy

new_policy() audits the policy after ipe_new_policyfs_node() publishes it
and drops the new directory's inode lock. A concurrent delete can free
the policy while ipe_audit_policy_load() is still using it.

Audit the successful load under that lock.

[FW: remove model name according to latest guideline]

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98534?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-98534?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-98534 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98534 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-98534 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-98534 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 18 Oct 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-2026-98534 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-2026-98534/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98534/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98534
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98534
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-98534

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98534/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.