CVE-2026-98375
Received Received - Intake

Buffer Overflow in Linux Kernel Network Stack

Publication date: 2026-10-09

Last updated on: 2026-10-09

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xen/netfront: drop RX packets with a short Ethernet header handle_incoming_queue() pulls pull_to bytes into the head before calling eth_type_trans(). pull_to is the length of the first RX slot, capped at RX_COPY_THRESHOLD, and that length comes from the backend. Nothing checks it against ETH_HLEN. If the first slot is shorter than ETH_HLEN and more slots follow, the head ends up shorter than an Ethernet header while skb->len is longer, and eth_type_trans() BUG()s in __skb_pull(). If the whole packet is shorter than ETH_HLEN, eth_type_trans() reads the header past the end of the data instead. Pull at least ETH_HLEN, and drop the packet if that fails, which also drops packets too short to hold an Ethernet header. This also checks the return value of the pull, which was ignored.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-10-09
Last Modified
2026-10-09
Generated
2026-10-09
AI Q&A
2026-10-09
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-98375
EUVD
EUVD-2026-95525

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
Linux Linux 0d160211965b79de989cf2d170985abeb8da5ec6
Linux Linux 2.6.23

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves improper handling of incoming network packets in the xen/netfront driver. When processing packets, the system fails to ensure the Ethernet header is fully contained in the first data slot before processing. This can lead to kernel bugs or memory corruption if the header is split across slots or missing entirely.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's Xen netfront driver and involves improper handling of Ethernet headers in RX packets. Detection requires checking kernel logs for BUG() or skb-related errors during packet processing. Monitor logs with: dmesg | grep -i 'BUG\|skb\|netfront\|eth_type_trans' or journalctl -k | grep -i 'BUG\|skb\|netfront\|eth_type_trans'.

Impact Analysis

This flaw could cause system crashes or instability by triggering kernel bugs. An attacker might exploit it to crash the system or potentially execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, depending on the kernel configuration and environment.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest Linux kernel patches from your distribution to resolve the issue. If immediate patching is not possible, disable the Xen netfront driver if unused or restrict network access to untrusted sources. Monitor kernel logs for signs of exploitation.

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