---
id: CVE-2026-98589
title: 'kernel: bpf: Reject pkt arguments in mutating subprogs (CVE-2026-98589)'
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's BPF (Berkeley Packet Filter) verifier.
  When packet pointers are passed into subprograms that mutate packet data, the
  verifier incorrectly assumes the underlying memory remains valid across calls,
  fail…
severity: medium
cvss: 6.7
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-825
vendor: Red Hat
product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
affected:
  - enterprise_linux 10
  - enterprise_linux 7
  - enterprise_linux 8
  - enterprise_linux 9
  - openshift_container_platform 4
published: '2026-10-18'
updated: '2026-10-20'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-20T04:17:59+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98589.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98589.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-98589'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2554986'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98589'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98589'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-98589.mbox
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0b6b2bb9b90ad1e2d94d18f626258a1dbbdee0ea'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a6c1edfbe240e4377038a0e1d233ad81fde9a21b'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00196
epssPercentile: 0.09273
ingestedAt: '2026-10-18T15:45:12.250Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's BPF (Berkeley Packet Filter) verifier. When packet pointers are passed into subprograms that mutate packet data, the verifier incorrectly assumes the underlying memory remains valid across calls, failing to account for operations that invalidate or relocate packet buffers. A local user with permissions to load BPF programs can exploit this flaw to cause memory corruption, potentially leading to a Denial of Service (DoS) or privilege escalation.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, … · updated 2026-10-20 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98589.json)

**kernel: bpf: Reject pkt arguments in mutating subprogs** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2026-10-18, updated 2026-10-20.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6

## Remediation

Fix deferred