[ CVE-2026-98586 · Published 18 Oct 2026 ]

Vulnerability in Linux

Not scored yet EPSS <1%1 agency advisoryNo fix listed yet

[ Description ]Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sctp: hold asoc or transport before mod_timer() in timer handlers Take the association or transport reference before rearming a timer in the timer handlers. The existing code calls mod_timer() before taking the reference needed by the rearmed timer without holding the sock lock. This creates a race with timer cleanup: if the timer is deleted after mod_timer() returns but before the reference is taken, the cleanup path can drop the timer's reference and destroy the transport or association. The timer handler then takes a reference on the already freed object and eventually drops it, causing a refcount underflow. Hold the object before mod_timer() and drop the reference if mod_timer() reports that the timer was already pending in timer handlers. Apply the same ordering to the proto-unreachable path, which can rearm a transport timer outside the timer handlers without holding the sock lock.

[ Fixes ]Fixes and patches

No fix or interim patch is linked from our sources yet. Check the vendor references below and limit exposure of affected systems until a fix is available.

[ Advisories ]Government CERT advisories