Linux Kernel up to 6.18.53/7.2.7/7.3-rc3 Network sk_has_decrypt_user state issue

CVSS Meta Temp Score CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.	Current Exploit Price (≈) Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.	CTI Interest Score Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
9.5	$5k-$25k	0.29

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as very critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.53/7.2.7/7.3-rc3. This impacts the function sk_has_decrypt_user of the component Network. Executing a manipulation can lead to state issue. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2026-98274. The attack may be performed from remote. There is no available exploit. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.53/7.2.7/7.3-rc3 and classified as very critical. This vulnerability affects the function sk_has_decrypt_user of the component Network. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a state issue vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-371. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: psp: avoid conflicts with skb->decrypted and sk_validate_xmit_skb() PSP conflicts with TLS ULP in its usage of both skb->decrypted and sk->sk_validate_xmit_skb(). Make PSP mutually exclusive with TLS ULP, the only other user of either of these. As other users of skb->decrypted come along, they can be added to sk_has_decrypt_user(). It would make sense to also assert that sk->sk_validate_xmit_skb() is also NULL in both of these setup paths for similar future proofing, but the PSP listener/sk_clone() path is still broken and it could be seen as a regression to not allow rx assoc to run on a child of a listener socket with PSP tx assoc state. Include all TCP ULPs in the sk_has_decrypt_user() check, even though TLS is the only one that conflicts with PSP via the decrypted bit. This is intentional because PSP was not designed to be used with ULPs. It is best to close off surface area that may make bugs reachable, until someone wishes to design and test an actual user of PSP with ULPs.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-98274 since 09/25/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is required for a successful exploitation. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $5k-$25k (estimation calculated on 10/06/2026).

Upgrading to version 6.18.54, 7.2.8 or 7.3-rc4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch a13cca5ba5375f13cbdab545abfb5e288bef3f78/c8c8c18862337c469e325c207601de3279847809/a41f24c612c3f5139a3143307eb85bbcf1bd4d07 is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
• 6.18.23
• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 6.18.33
• 6.18.34
• 6.18.35
• 6.18.36
• 6.18.37
• 6.18.38
• 6.18.39
• 6.18.40
• 6.18.41
• 6.18.42
• 6.18.43
• 6.18.44
• 6.18.45
• 6.18.46
• 6.18.47
• 6.18.48
• 6.18.49
• 6.18.50
• 6.18.51
• 6.18.52
• 6.18.53
• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2
• 7.2.3
• 7.2.4
• 7.2.5
• 7.2.6
• 7.2.7
• 7.3-rc1
• 7.3-rc2
• 7.3-rc3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 9.5

VulDB Base Score: 10.0
VulDB Temp Score: 9.5
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: State issue
CWE: CWE-371
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

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

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.18.54/7.2.8/7.3-rc4
Patch: a13cca5ba5375f13cbdab545abfb5e288bef3f78/c8c8c18862337c469e325c207601de3279847809/a41f24c612c3f5139a3143307eb85bbcf1bd4d07

Timelineinfo

09/25/2026 CVE reserved
10/06/2026 +11 days Advisory disclosed
10/06/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
10/06/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-98274 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-98274
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-414148

Entryinfo

Created: 10/06/2026 13:10
Changes: 10/06/2026 13:10 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Discussion

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