CVE-2026-98099

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv6: mcast: use rcu_assign_pointer() for __rcu list updates Several places in net/ipv6/mcast.c update RCU-protected lists (np->ipv6_mc_list, idev->mc_list, idev->mc_tomb) using direct pointer assignments instead of rcu_assign_pointer(): 1. In __ipv6_dev_mc_dec(), unlinking a group from idev->mc_list did: *map = ma->next; without rcu_assign_pointer() while concurrent readers traverse idev->mc_list locklessly under rcu_read_lock(). 2. In ipv6_sock_mc_drop() and __ipv6_sock_mc_close(), unlinking a group from np->ipv6_mc_list directly assigned *lnk = mc_lst->next and np->ipv6_mc_list = mc_lst->next without rcu_assign_pointer(), racing with lockless readers in inet6_mc_check(). 3. In __ipv6_sock_mc_join(), mc_lst->next was initialized to np->ipv6_mc_list via raw assignment before publishing mc_lst. 4. In mld_del_delrec() and __ipv6_dev_mc_inc(), __rcu source pointers passed into rcu_assign_pointer() lacked explicit dereference helpers. Fix these by consistently using rcu_assign_pointer() along with mc_dereference() / sock_dereference().

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2026-09-25
Last modified 2026-09-30
Patch available
Yes

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 2.6.38 and later are affected. Fixed in 7.2.7, 7.3-rc2 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 2.6.38
Fixed in
✓ 7.2.7 7.2.x ✓ 7.3-rc2

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2026-98099?

    CVE-2026-98099 is a unscored severity Linux kernel vulnerability . It affects Linux kernel versions from 2.6.38 onward and has been patched in 7.2.7 and 7.3-rc2. CVE-2026-98099 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-98099?

    Yes. CVE-2026-98099 has been patched. Fixed versions include 7.2.7 and 7.3-rc2. If you are running Linux kernel 2.6.38 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2026-98099 actively exploited?

    No. CVE-2026-98099 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.