CVE-2026-98534
Received Received - Intake

Use-After-Free in Linux Kernel IPE Policy Loading

Publication date: 2026-10-18

Last updated on: 2026-10-18

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipe: fix use-after-free when auditing a newly loaded policy new_policy() audits the policy after ipe_new_policyfs_node() publishes it and drops the new directory's inode lock. A concurrent delete can free the policy while ipe_audit_policy_load() is still using it. Audit the successful load under that lock. [FW: remove model name according to latest guideline]

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Meta Information

Published
2026-10-18
Last Modified
2026-10-18
Generated
2026-10-18
AI Q&A
2026-10-18
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-98534
EUVD
EUVD-2026-103579

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
Linux Linux f44554b5067b36c14cc91ed811fa1bd58baed34a
Linux Linux f44554b5067b36c14cc91ed811fa1bd58baed34a
Linux Linux f44554b5067b36c14cc91ed811fa1bd58baed34a
Linux Linux f44554b5067b36c14cc91ed811fa1bd58baed34a
Linux Linux 6.12

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 is a use-after-free issue in the Linux kernel's IPE (Integrity Policy Enforcement) module. It occurs when auditing a newly loaded policy. The new_policy() function audits the policy after publishing it and dropping the directory's inode lock, allowing a concurrent delete operation to free the policy while it is still being used by ipe_audit_policy_load().

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability could allow an attacker to cause a denial-of-service (system crash) or potentially execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. It may lead to system instability or unauthorized access if exploited.

Mitigation Strategies

Update the Linux kernel to the latest patched version to resolve the use-after-free issue in the IPE module. Monitor kernel logs for audit failures related to policy loading as an indicator of exploitation attempts.

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