Linux Kernel up to 6.18.55/7.2.9/7.3-rc5 blk-mq blk_mq_rq_late_init/blk_mq_rq_time_init allocation of resources

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	0.92

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as very critical has been detected in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.55/7.2.9/7.3-rc5. This impacts the function blk_mq_rq_late_init/blk_mq_rq_time_init of the component blk-mq. Performing a manipulation results in allocation of resources. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-98820. Remote exploitation of the attack is possible. No exploit is available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as very critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.55/7.2.9/7.3-rc5. This affects the function blk_mq_rq_late_init/blk_mq_rq_time_init of the component blk-mq. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a allocation of resources vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-770. The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated, in violation of the intended security policy for that actor. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: blk-mq: set RQF_USE_SCHED when the operation is known The cached requests are allocated for one operation but can be handed out for another. A passthrough command has RQF_USE_SCHED cleared, so using those flags for a subsequent read/write bio will insert it into the scheduler without ->prepare_request() and frees it without ->finish_request(). For kyber, this leaks the domain token acquired at dispatch and stalls the queue. Don't set RQF_USE_SCHED based on the first operation the batch happened to be allocated for. Instead, set it after the request is claimed by an operation. Introduce a helper function, blk_mq_rq_late_init() for this, and absorb blk_mq_rq_time_init() since the two run together.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2026-98820 since 09/25/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 10/18/2026). The attack technique deployed by this issue is T1499 according to MITRE ATT&CK.

Upgrading to version 6.18.56, 7.2.10 or 7.3-rc6 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 790730e4d95de8356a573d4b4864486bba731863/2c47ebc27fa72078e26177cd458cdaf3006a9685/ab6c756f28c741d704a7c3e04814bfc3adf6f818 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

• 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
• 6.18.54
• 6.18.55
• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2
• 7.2.3
• 7.2.4
• 7.2.5
• 7.2.6
• 7.2.7
• 7.2.8
• 7.2.9
• 7.3-rc1
• 7.3-rc2
• 7.3-rc3
• 7.3-rc4
• 7.3-rc5

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: 9.9
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 9.5

VulDB Base Score: 9.9
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: Allocation of resources
CWE: CWE-770 / CWE-400 / CWE-404
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 6.18.56/7.2.10/7.3-rc6
Patch: 790730e4d95de8356a573d4b4864486bba731863/2c47ebc27fa72078e26177cd458cdaf3006a9685/ab6c756f28c741d704a7c3e04814bfc3adf6f818

Timelineinfo

09/25/2026 CVE reserved
10/18/2026 +23 days Advisory disclosed
10/18/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
10/18/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-98820 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-98820
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-421815

Entryinfo

Created: 10/18/2026 18:06
Changes: 10/18/2026 18:06 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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