# CVE-2026-98804: net: page_pool: fix use-after-free in page_pool_recycle_ring_bulk()

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel page pool allows attackers to cause denial of service or execute code when page pool stats are enabled.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-98804, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98804, GHSA-4g8w-5g3m-vf26, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98804

## What is CVE-2026-98804?

CVE-2026-98804 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 18 Oct 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net: page_pool: fix use-after-free in page_pool_recycle_ring_bulk()

With CONFIG_PAGE_POOL_STATS=y, page_pool_recycle_ring_bulk() updates
the recycle stats after dropping the producer lock. If it just recycled
the last inflight netmems of a pool being destroyed, page_pool_release()
can pass its producer-lock barrier and free the pool before
recycle_stat_add() runs.

Commit fcc680a647ba7 ("page_pool: allow mixing PPs within one bulk")
moved this stat update after the unlock. Commit 271683bb2cf32
("page_pool: Fix use-after-free in page_pool_recycle_in_ring") later
added the barrier, but only fixed page_pool_recycle_in_ring(). Move
the update back under the lock.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98804?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-98804?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-98804 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98804 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-98804 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-98804 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 18 Oct 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98804 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-2026-98804/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98804/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98804
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98804
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-98804

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98804/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.