CVE Catalog

CVE-2026-98626

Low risk· EPSS 10%
Published: Updated: Translated: NVD NIST

Exploitation Probability (EPSS)

Low risk
0.21%

10th percentile - higher than 10% of all known CVEs

Summary

In the Linux kernel, bpf_core_patch_insn() poisoned the CO-RE relocation target before checking whether the instruction was a valid relocation target. Malformed metadata could therefore replace jumps, calls, exits, register-source arithmetic, or non-immediate loads instead of failing at the relocation step.

Risk Assessment

This could allow malformed metadata to modify critical BPF instructions, leading to unpredictable kernel behavior or potential privilege escalation.

Recommendation

Update the Linux kernel to a version where CO-RE poisoning is restricted to relocatable instructions and invalid forms return a hard error.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

See all
Original NVD description (English source)

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Restrict CO-RE poisoning to relocatable instructions CO-RE relocation records can name any instruction offset. When a relocation cannot be resolved, bpf_core_patch_insn() currently poisons its target before checking whether that instruction is a valid relocation target. Malformed metadata can therefore replace jumps, calls, exits, register-source arithmetic, or non-immediate loads instead of failing at the relocation step. Handle poisoning only after the instruction has passed the same class and operand-form checks used for a resolved relocation. Route invalid forms through the existing diagnostic and return a hard error. Keep poisoning supported instructions, including both halves of a plain ldimm64, so an unresolved relocation in dead code remains valid. Extend bpf_core_poison_insn() to poison both halves of ldimm64, and return its status directly from each validated instruction case. This avoids routing the success path through a common label and leaves the helper free to report errors. The shared relocation code applies this restriction to both libbpf and in-kernel CO-RE.

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