CVE Catalog

CVE-2026-98427

Unknown
Published: Translated: NVD NIST

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the CoDel scheduler's dropping loop in codel_dequeue() could fail to advance with very small interval values, draining the entire backlog under the qdisc lock in a single call. An unprivileged user could trigger a soft lockup this way. The fix ensures the control-law step is at least 1 tick and caps the dropping loop at 256 drops per codel_dequeue() call.

Risk Assessment

The vulnerability allows a local, unprivileged user to trigger a kernel soft lockup by configuring codel/fq_codel qdisc with a tiny interval and flooding UDP traffic, potentially causing system hang and denial of service.

Recommendation

Update the Linux kernel to a version containing the fix for CVE-2026-98427. Until patched, avoid configuring codel/fq_codel qdisc with extremely small intervals (e.g., 2us) on shared systems.

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Original NVD description (English source)

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call The CoDel control law schedules the next drop one interval/sqrt(count) after the previous drop, using the configured interval (codel_params.interval). For very small intervals the scheduled step rounds down to zero, so the dropping loop in codel_dequeue() never advances and drains the entire backlog under the qdisc lock in one call - an unprivileged user can trigger a soft lockup this way. Fix in the shared codel code used by both codel and fq_codel: 1. Make the control-law step at least 1 tick so the dropping loop always moves forward. 2. Cap the dropping loop at CODEL_MAX_DROPS_PER_DEQUEUE (256) drops per codel_dequeue() call, resyncing drop_next to now when the cap is hit: the catch-up owed to the loop grows with the idle gap and the backlog, which no interval threshold can bound. This is a deliberate behaviour change after long idle gaps. The cap applies to fq_codel (4b549a2ef4be) and the mac80211 TXQ path (fixed interval, cap only). The target sojourn delay (codel_params.target) is not validated: it does not feed the control law, so a sub-tick value is aggressive rather than deadlock-prone. Conditions to recreate the bug: - tc qdisc add dev lo root handle 1: tbf rate 1kbit burst 2kb limit 1000000 - tc qdisc add dev lo parent 1:1 handle 10: codel interval 2us target 1ms noecn limit 1000000 (same for fq_codel) - unpatched kernel: tc accepts it; a UDP flood under the 1kbit tbf soft-lockups (watchdog: BUG: soft lockup) while one codel_dequeue() call drops the backlog under the qdisc lock - patched kernel: same setup, at most 256 drops per dequeue call, no soft lockup Testing: claim reproducer and interval 2us/3us variants run clean; tdc qdisc category passes (see the selftests patch).

Vulnerability data from NVD (NIST) · CISA KEV · EPSS