---
id: CVE-2026-98849
title: >-
  kernel: pfcp: fix socket lifetime on netdevice registration failure
  (CVE-2026-98849)
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Packet Forwarding Control Protocol
  (PFCP) driver. When creating a PFCP network interface, a failure during device
  registration triggers error handling that attempts to release an internal
  network sock…
severity: medium
cvss: 4.7
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-476
vendor: Red Hat
product: Linux
affected:
  - >-
    Linux >= 76c8764ef36a5d37ea2e551bda28ac7f028383ba <
    dcb8f6a79c3360a440c399d85df465a6e59351f1
  - >-
    Linux >= 76c8764ef36a5d37ea2e551bda28ac7f028383ba <
    4b8ce1686dea1a10805a0807bf492409b0300ee1
  - >-
    Linux >= 76c8764ef36a5d37ea2e551bda28ac7f028383ba <
    2cee3603ec1d9b5ec7f2121ea3efe9488e906f46
  - >-
    Linux >= 76c8764ef36a5d37ea2e551bda28ac7f028383ba <
    0f17d2e3dd9cda3ee6d94033d5e5489af168920d
  - Linux 6.10
published: '2026-10-18'
updated: '2026-10-23'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-23T11:17:13+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98849.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98849.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-98849'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2555251'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98849'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98849'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-98849.mbox
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dcb8f6a79c3360a440c399d85df465a6e59351f1'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4b8ce1686dea1a10805a0807bf492409b0300ee1'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2cee3603ec1d9b5ec7f2121ea3efe9488e906f46'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0f17d2e3dd9cda3ee6d94033d5e5489af168920d'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00168
epssPercentile: 0.06114
ingestedAt: '2026-10-18T16:47:32.465Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) driver. When creating a PFCP network interface, a failure during device registration triggers error handling that attempts to release an internal network socket twice. This improper cleanup results in a null pointer dereference, allowing a local user with network administration privileges to crash the system and cause a Denial of Service (DoS).

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · updated 2026-10-23 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98849.json)

**kernel: pfcp: fix socket lifetime on netdevice registration failure** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2026-10-18, updated 2026-10-23.

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

## Remediation

Refer to the advisory for fix availability.