CVE-2026-98359

Received Received - Intake

BaseFortify

Publication date: 2026-10-06

Last updated on: 2026-10-19

Assigner: kernel.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: RDMA/core: Reject unregistering netdevs in ib_get_eth_speed ib_device_get_netdev() intentionally returns a referenced net_device even when it is unregistering, so matching and cleanup callers can still find the association. The reference keeps struct net_device allocated, but does not guarantee that the device remains operational. ib_get_eth_speed() uses the returned device operationally by invoking its ethtool callback. Although that call is made under RTNL, the function does not verify the registration state first. An asynchronous RDMA port query can therefore call into a netdev after NETDEV_UNREGISTER and ndo_uninit have completed. Check for NETREG_REGISTERED while holding RTNL and return -ENODEV for a device which is being unregistered. Keeping RTNL across the check and the ethtool operation prevents unregister from starting between them. Keep the speed fallback and warning under RTNL as well, so the warning can safely read netdev->name. Drop the netdev reference before releasing RTNL once all accesses to the device are complete.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published

2026-10-06

Last Modified

2026-10-19

Generated

2026-10-19

AI Q&A

2026-10-06

EPSS Evaluated

2026-10-18

NVD

CVE-2026-98359

EUVD

EUVD-2026-93344

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
Linux	Linux	d41861942fc55c14b6280d9568a0d0112037f065
Linux	Linux	d41861942fc55c14b6280d9568a0d0112037f065
Linux	Linux	d41861942fc55c14b6280d9568a0d0112037f065
Linux	Linux	d41861942fc55c14b6280d9568a0d0112037f065
Linux	Linux	d41861942fc55c14b6280d9568a0d0112037f065
Linux	Linux	d41861942fc55c14b6280d9568a0d0112037f065
Linux	Linux	4.14

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves a race condition in the RDMA subsystem. The function ib_get_eth_speed() uses a net_device returned by ib_device_get_netdev() without checking if the device is still registered. This can lead to accessing a device that is being unregistered, causing potential crashes or undefined behavior.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's RDMA subsystem and requires kernel-level inspection. Detection involves checking kernel logs for related errors or verifying if your kernel version includes the fix. Use commands like 'uname -a' to check your kernel version and 'dmesg | grep -i rdma' to look for RDMA-related errors.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could cause system instability, crashes, or denial of service in systems using RDMA. It may affect network performance or reliability in environments relying on RDMA for high-speed data transfer.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability does not directly affect compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, or similar standards. It is a Linux kernel issue involving improper handling of network device operations during unregistration, which could lead to system instability or crashes but does not involve data privacy or security controls typically governed by these regulations.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest Linux kernel patches to address the RDMA/core vulnerability. Monitor for updates from your Linux distribution vendor and update affected systems promptly.

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