# CVE-2026-98612: net: usb: catc: bound the RX packet length in catc_rx_done()

> A crafted USB packet can cause out-of-bounds reads in the Linux kernel catc driver, potentially leading to crashes or code execution.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **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:** AZL-108708, BELL-CVE-2026-98612, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98612, GHSA-xhrr-qp73-mj8c, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98612

## What is CVE-2026-98612?

CVE-2026-98612 is a memory corruption 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:

net: usb: catc: bound the RX packet length in catc_rx_done()

catc_rx_done() walks a multi-packet URB, reading a two-byte length from
each packet header. Its bound, pkt_len > urb->actual_length, ignores the
header offset and compares against the whole transfer rather than the
bytes left from pkt_start, so a crafted packet header makes
skb_copy_to_linear_data() read past the buffer.

A length below ETH_HLEN is also accepted, including zero, and
eth_type_trans() then reads a MAC header from the uninitialised tailroom
of a shorter skb. The is_f5u011 branch takes its length straight from
the transfer, so a zero-length URB reaches the same path.

Track the bytes remaining from the current packet, and reject a header
that does not fit, a length past what is left, and a length below an
Ethernet header.

A transfer shorter than an Ethernet header, including a zero-length one,
previously became a runt skb passed to netif_rx() and counted as
received; it is now counted in rx_length_errors and ends the walk.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98612?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-98612?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-98612 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98612 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-98612 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-98612 is a memory corruption 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-2026-98612 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-2026-98612/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98612/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98612
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98612
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-98612

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98612/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.