CVE-2026-98432 is a significant use-after-free vulnerability found in the Linux kernel's IPv4 TCP handshake. It allows for potential exploitation through stale kernel pointers due to improper memory management. The vulnerability has a high CVSS score of 9.8, but Red Hat assesses it as less severe at 5.9. A patch has been released, and users are encouraged to update their systems, especially if they are running Multipath TCP services. The situation underscores the need for careful monitoring of network traffic and system configurations.
Key facts
- CVE-2026-98432 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel.
- The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 9.8, indicating high risk.
- Red Hat assigns a lower risk score of 5.9 due to exploitation difficulty.
- A patch has been released to address the vulnerability.
- Users are advised to update systems, particularly those using Multipath TCP.
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