Linux Kernel up to 6.12.110/6.18.52/7.2.6/7.3-rc2 cls_api net/sched/cls_api.c tc_ctl_chain resource consumption

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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5.3$0-$5k0.79+

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability categorized as critical has been discovered in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.110/6.18.52/7.2.6/7.3-rc2. Affected by this issue is the function tc_ctl_chain of the file net/sched/cls_api.c of the component cls_api. Executing a manipulation can lead to resource consumption. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-97958. It is possible to launch the attack on the local host. There is not any exploit available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.110/6.18.52/7.2.6/7.3-rc2 and classified as critical. This vulnerability affects the function tc_ctl_chain of the file net/sched/cls_api.c of the component cls_api. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a resource consumption vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-400. The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource, thereby enabling an actor to influence the amount of resources consumed, eventually leading to the exhaustion of available resources. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: cls_api: Don't replay RTM_GETCHAIN in tc_ctl_chain(). If a netlink socket sends RTM_GETCHAIN requests repeatedly without recv()ing the responses, tc_ctl_chain() hogs CPU and triggers Hung Task splat. [0] As caught in the stack trace, netlink_attachskb() could confuse tc_ctl_chain() by returning -EAGAIN when the userspace netlink socket's receive buffer is full. The replay: label exists since commit 32a4f5ecd738 ("net: sched: introduce chain object to uapi") but was not used initially. Since commit 9f407f1768d3 ("net: sched: introduce chain templates"), the label is needed for RTM_NEWCHAIN because tcf_proto_lookup_ops() may release RTNL to call request_module(). However, the replay logic is unnecessary for RTM_GETCHAIN. Let's apply the replay logic only for RTM_NEWCHAIN. [0]: INFO: task repro:1018 is blocked on a mutex likely owned by task repro:1022. task:repro state:R running task stack:14096 pid:1022 tgid:1014 ppid:961 task_flags:0x400040 flags:0x00080000 Call Trace: <TASK> ? clockevents_program_event (kernel/time/clockevents.c:372) ? pskb_expand_head (net/core/skbuff.c:615) ? skb_release_data (net/core/skbuff.c:1122) ? netlink_attachskb (./include/linux/skbuff.h:1323 ./include/linux/skbuff.h:1332 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1232) ? __netlink_lookup (./include/linux/rcupdate.h:882 ./include/linux/rhashtable.h:711 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:499) ? tc_chain_notify (net/sched/cls_api.c:3045) ? tc_chain_notify (./include/linux/skbuff.h:1384 net/sched/cls_api.c:3041) ? netlink_unicast (net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1335) ? rtnl_unicast (./include/net/netlink.h:1198 net/core/rtnetlink.c:985) ? tc_ctl_chain (net/sched/cls_api.c:3242) ? rtnetlink_rcv_msg (net/core/rtnetlink.c:7146) ? netlink_unicast (net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1354) ? __pfx_rtnetlink_rcv_msg (net/core/rtnetlink.c:7177) ? netlink_rcv_skb (net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2556) ? netlink_unicast (net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1319) ? netlink_sendmsg (net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1900) ? __sock_sendmsg (net/socket.c:800) ? __sys_sendto (net/socket.c:2281) ? __x64_sys_sendto (net/socket.c:2288 net/socket.c:2284 net/socket.c:2284) ? do_syscall_64 (arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:61 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:84) ? entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe (arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:121) </TASK>

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-97958 since 09/25/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. Local access is required to approach this attack. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit.

Upgrading to version 6.12.111, 6.18.53, 7.2.7 or 7.3-rc3 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch a1c2840d95af1fa3d83ba71e23fa0c674a4c6796/503ba58481e3ba69d28127d35a39cec529f9670c/e9ac395bb56122a057d0aa91a6b55d9e3fa37c26/dff39930ad5e53d202bfdfb14687d1d2fd753b4d is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

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Version

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Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.5
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.3

VulDB Base Score: 5.5
VulDB Temp Score: 5.3
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Resource consumption
CWE: CWE-400 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.12.111/6.18.53/7.2.7/7.3-rc3
Patch: a1c2840d95af1fa3d83ba71e23fa0c674a4c6796/503ba58481e3ba69d28127d35a39cec529f9670c/e9ac395bb56122a057d0aa91a6b55d9e3fa37c26/dff39930ad5e53d202bfdfb14687d1d2fd753b4d

Timelineinfo

09/25/2026 Advisory disclosed
09/25/2026 +0 days CVE reserved
09/25/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
09/25/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-97958 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-97958
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-410026

Entryinfo

Created: 09/25/2026 13:56
Changes: 09/25/2026 13:56 (60)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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