Linux Kernel up to 7.3-rc3 IPv6 XFRM xfrm6_local_rxpmtu/xfrm6_local_error null pointer dereference

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	$0-$5k	0.30-

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 7.3-rc3 and classified as very critical. Impacted is the function xfrm6_local_rxpmtu/xfrm6_local_error of the component IPv6 XFRM. The manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2026-98241. The attack can be initiated remotely. There is not any exploit available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 7.3-rc3 and classified as very critical. This issue affects the function xfrm6_local_rxpmtu/xfrm6_local_error of the component IPv6 XFRM. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv6: xfrm: use full sockets in local error paths xfrm6_local_rxpmtu() and xfrm6_local_error() dereference skb->sk as if it always pointed at a full IPv6 socket. That is not guaranteed. TCP SYN-ACK skbs can be owned by a TCP_NEW_SYN_RECV request_sock while the output path itself is driven by the full listener. If rerouting selects an IPv6 XFRM tunnel route with a lower MTU, the local PMTU/error handling path can reach these callbacks with that mini-socket still attached to the skb. The callbacks then miscast the request socket as a full inet/IPv6 socket and can read beyond the request_sock allocation when they access inet_sock or ipv6_pinfo state. Resolve the owner with skb_to_full_sk() in both callbacks and bail out when no full socket is attached. This matches the surrounding XFRM IPv6 PMTU/error logic, which already reasons about full sockets with skb_to_full_sk().

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2026-98241 since 09/25/2026. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is needed for a successful exploitation. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 10/06/2026).

Upgrading to version 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8 or 7.3-rc4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch b1a88633c36d2cbc3831382f3846754d344276fd/904a0e827d0d7189271a3a2eb648293809f25efc/675919e08ce266b8cac11fd9af29170e762a480f/60459c670329d586a58db5d8f811fa5accfe4862/ca3d68c3213475b53db6647e159dc73bd1af5ab1/4c030a0400ebfd2318361c923a88103b2c67c49f/c21f3f7fbfeda7c5794f606cb0ffcc2d9001eef8/6973a21ee73c5567f883813c8ef414774b45892f is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.10.270
• 5.15.221
• 6.1.188
• 6.6.157
• 6.12.111
• 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: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

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 5.10.271/5.15.222/6.1.189/6.6.158/6.12.112/6.18.54/7.2.8/7.3-rc4
Patch: b1a88633c36d2cbc3831382f3846754d344276fd/904a0e827d0d7189271a3a2eb648293809f25efc/675919e08ce266b8cac11fd9af29170e762a480f/60459c670329d586a58db5d8f811fa5accfe4862/ca3d68c3213475b53db6647e159dc73bd1af5ab1/4c030a0400ebfd2318361c923a88103b2c67c49f/c21f3f7fbfeda7c5794f606cb0ffcc2d9001eef8/6973a21ee73c5567f883813c8ef414774b45892f

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-2026-98241 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-98241
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-414221

Entryinfo

Created: 10/06/2026 13:48
Changes: 10/06/2026 13:48 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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Discussion

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