CVE-2026-98788

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: futex: Fix private hash use-after-free on resize poll_state_synchronize_rcu(mm->futex.phash.batches) is used by futex_ref_drop() to check that a grace period has passed since the current hash was published. This relies on batches referencing a grace period which started after the hash pointer was assigned. __futex_pivot_hash() sets mmph->batches before it replaces mmph->hash: scoped_guard(rcu) { mmph->batches = get_state_synchronize_rcu(); rcu_assign_pointer(mmph->hash, new); } The scoped_guard(rcu) doesn't stop new grace periods from starting, and if one starts between those two assignments, futex_ref_drop() can move forward while a reader still holds a pointer to the old hash. Fix things by setting mmph->batches after assigning mmph->hash. The scoped_guard(rcu) isn't needed, so let's drop that as well.

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EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0016

Probability of exploitation

0.05%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

References

Other References

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5d5dc18b3a9ac011619b7d3af4514bf9e9b6a6af https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f35e3b5784221654f9cdbd6222275a7fa203f6c3

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-98788? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: futex: Fix private hash use-after-free on resize poll_state_synchronize_rcu(mm->futex.phash.batches) is used by futex_ref_drop() to check that a grace period has passed since the current hash was published. This relies on batches referencing a grace period which started after the hash pointer was assigned. __futex_pivot_hash() sets mmph->batches before it replaces mmph->hash: scoped_guard(rcu) { mmph->batches = get_state_synchronize_rcu(); rcu_assign_pointer(mmph->hash, new); } The scoped_guard(rcu) doesn't stop new grace periods from starting, and if one starts between those two assignments, futex_ref_drop() can move forward while a reader still holds a pointer to the old hash. Fix things by setting mmph->batches after assigning mmph->hash. The scoped_guard(rcu) isn't needed, so let's drop that as well.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-98788? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.