# CVE-2026-98862: audit: fix exe mark UAF in kill_rules()

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel audit subsystem allows local attackers with audit control privileges to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.

- **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:** 21 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-109355, BELL-CVE-2026-98862, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98862, GHSA-73jm-mgrc-fg99, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98862

## What is CVE-2026-98862?

CVE-2026-98862 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:

audit: fix exe mark UAF in kill_rules()

kill_rules() removes mixed AUDIT_DIR and AUDIT_EXE rules when an audit
tree is pruned. It drops entry->rule.exe before removing the rule from
the RCU-visible filter lists.

After a rule has been installed with AUDIT_ADD_RULE, which requires
CAP_AUDIT_CONTROL, removing the watched directory can race with another
task that is still evaluating the rule. In that case, fsnotify can free
the executable mark before the reader reaches audit_mark_compare(),
causing a use-after-free.

KASAN reports:

    BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in audit_mark_compare+0x8d/0xa0

Unlink the published rules from the RCU-visible lists and retain them
on tree->rules for cleanup. If any rule has an executable mark, wait for
a single RCU grace period before removing the marks and scheduling the
entries for freeing. Otherwise, call_rcu() already provides the required
deferred freeing without a synchronous wait.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98862?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-98862?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-98862 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98862 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-98862 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-98862 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-2026-98862 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-2026-98862/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98862/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98862
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98862
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-98862

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98862/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.