# CVE-2026-98839: vt: selection: Fix unsigned underflow and slab-out-of-bounds read in paste_selection()

> A local attacker can trigger an integer underflow in the Linux kernel's virtual terminal selection code, leading to an out-of-bounds read and potential information disclosure or system crash.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-108933, BELL-CVE-2026-98839, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98839, GHSA-rgr5-hhj8-qq6p, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98839

## What is CVE-2026-98839?

CVE-2026-98839 is a 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:

vt: selection: Fix unsigned underflow and slab-out-of-bounds read in paste_selection()

In paste_selection(), the loop copies min_t(unsigned int,
vc_sel.buf_len - pasted,tty->receive_room) bytes per iteration into
tty_ldisc_receive_buf() and increments pasted += count.

Because the selection mutex (vc_sel.lock) is dropped inside the loop
Whenever the line discipline buffer fills up and paste_selection()
sleeps on tty->write_wait, a concurrent TIOCLINUX (TIOCL_SETSEL) ioctl
can replace vc_sel.buffer with a shorter selection and reduce
vc_sel.buf_len below pasted.

When paste_selection() resumes, vc_sel.buf_len - pasted underflows as an
unsigned integer to a large positive value, causing
tty_ldisc_receive_buf(ld, vc_sel.buffer + pasted, NULL, count) to read
up to 4094 bytes out-of-bounds past the newly allocated vc_sel.buffer.

Fix this by terminating the loop when pasted >= vc_sel.buf_len.

Kernel stack trace (Linux 7.3.0-rc3):
 ==================================================================
 BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in n_tty_receive_buf_common+0xa01/0x1650
 Read of size 4094 at addr ffff888101c58010 by task kworker/u17:1/65
 Workqueue: events_unbound flush_to_ldisc
 Call Trace:
  <TASK>
  dump_stack_lvl+0x70/0xa0
  print_report+0x153/0x4c6
  kasan_report+0xf1/0x120
  kasan_check_range+0x11c/0x200
  __asan_memcpy+0x29/0x70
  n_tty_receive_buf_common+0xa01/0x1650
  tty_ldisc_receive_buf+0x66/0x110
  tty_port_default_receive_buf+0x6b/0xb0
  flush_to_ldisc+0x1b4/0x410
  process_one_work+0x6ff/0x1110
  worker_thread+0x4a8/0xb70
  kthread+0x307/0x3e0
  ret_from_fork+0x3ed/0x680
  </TASK>
 ==================================================================

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98839?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-98839?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-98839 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98839 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-98839 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-98839 is a 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-2026-98839 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-2026-98839/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98839/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98839
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98839
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-98839

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98839/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.