Linux Kernel up to 7.3-rc4 SCTP sctp_assoc_update_retran_path infinite loop

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.
7.2	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 7.3-rc4. It has been classified as critical. This vulnerability affects the function sctp_assoc_update_retran_path of the component SCTP. This manipulation causes infinite loop. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-98614. The attack can be initiated remotely. There is not any exploit available. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 7.3-rc4. It has been declared as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function sctp_assoc_update_retran_path of the component SCTP. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a infinite loop vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-835. The product contains an iteration or loop with an exit condition that cannot be reached, i.e., an infinite loop. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sctp: avoid livelock while updating retransmit path sctp_assoc_update_retran_path() can loop forever when every remaining transport, including retran_path, is SCTP_UNCONFIRMED: the state check runs before the wraparound test, so the loop cannot observe that it has completed a full pass. Fix this by considering a transport only when it is not UNCONFIRMED, then checking whether the walk has returned to retran_path. This makes the full-pass termination independent of the transport state while preserving the existing fallback selection semantics. Also restore the NULL guard around the retran_path assignment. In the all-UNCONFIRMED case there is no eligible replacement transport, and installing NULL would leave later retransmit-path users and the debug print with a NULL path.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-98614 since 09/25/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. 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 10/18/2026). MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1499 for this issue.

Upgrading to version 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9 or 7.3-rc5 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 3fe624c3843694ab096fdb198526ba0c659febbe/43410c1f2db53516e95ddd7e5b4b02f495b78121/d893a7cc1cb41dd510f338bb2bfd8f29b14eaf49/83b1a7f9e718828ef364a7b004254ebb2d0035fe/173610fff55022a5ad1579fbcc7faa97467b58b7/c9338057df1025f578fe7d0ff08bada87b8b838d/ddc34cc0834c873871e88b055ee6a260676efe97/d2c31b837406395e576afeb25958c98e9938f3f6 is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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
• 6.18.54
• 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
• 7.3-rc1
• 7.3-rc2
• 7.3-rc3
• 7.3-rc4

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: 7.5
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.2

VulDB Base Score: 7.5
VulDB Temp Score: 7.2
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: Infinite loop
CWE: CWE-835 / 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 5.10.271/5.15.222/6.1.189/6.6.158/6.12.112/6.18.55/7.2.9/7.3-rc5
Patch: 3fe624c3843694ab096fdb198526ba0c659febbe/43410c1f2db53516e95ddd7e5b4b02f495b78121/d893a7cc1cb41dd510f338bb2bfd8f29b14eaf49/83b1a7f9e718828ef364a7b004254ebb2d0035fe/173610fff55022a5ad1579fbcc7faa97467b58b7/c9338057df1025f578fe7d0ff08bada87b8b838d/ddc34cc0834c873871e88b055ee6a260676efe97/d2c31b837406395e576afeb25958c98e9938f3f6

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-2026-98614 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-98614
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-422161

Entryinfo

Created: 10/18/2026 20:46
Changes: 10/18/2026 20:46 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Discussion

Want to stay up to date on a daily basis?

Enable the mail alert feature now!