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Linux Kernel EUVDEUVD-2026-103588

| CVE-2026-98543 HIGH
2026-10-18 Linux GHSA-mhp5-jj6j-c7m7
7.3
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: Linux
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Obtain local access
  2. Delivery
    Invoke unlink/rmdir on a target inode
  3. Exploit
    BPF LSM hook mutates xattrs without i_rwsem
  4. Execution
    Unlocked concurrent xattr access corrupts inode state
  5. Impact
    Kernel instability or xattr integrity loss

Vulnerability Assessment

Exploitation Conditions

Requires a Linux kernel 6.15 or later built with BPF LSM support AND a sleepable BPF LSM program attached to the path_unlink or path_rmdir hooks that calls bpf_set_dentry_xattr() or bpf_remove_dentry_xattr(); the verifier rewrites these to the _locked variants that assume i_rwsem is held, but it is not held at those hook points. Loading/attaching such a BPF LSM program requires privilege (typically CAP_BPF/CAP_SYS_ADMIN). If no such program is attached to these specific hooks, the vulnerable code path is never reached and the system is not exploitable - this confines exposure to specialized security-tooling deployments rather than default kernel configurations. The triggering operation itself is an ordinary local unlink/rmdir, requiring no user interaction (UI:N).

Impact

CVSS 7.3 (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H) describes a local, low-privilege flaw with changed scope causing integrity (I:L) and availability (A:H) impact and no confidentiality impact. The exploitation-probability signals are low and consistent with each other: EPSS is 0.20% (9th percentile), there is no CISA KEV listing, and no public exploit is identified. The vuln.today decision label is 'this_week', indicating a prioritized-but-not-emergency fix cadence. These signals converge: this is a genuine correctness/locking bug worth patching on a normal cadence, not a widely-weaponized threat. A key limiting factor tempers the raw score - the vulnerable path is only reachable when a sleepable BPF LSM program that mutates dentry xattrs is attached to path_unlink/path_rmdir, which is a non-default, security-tooling-specific deployment; loading such a program itself requires privilege, so PR:L is arguably generous for the overall condition even though the triggering file operation (unlink/rmdir) can be performed by a low-privileged local user. One conflicting signal: the input tag 'Information Disclosure' contradicts the CVSS vector's C:N (no confidentiality impact), so that classification should not be relied upon. No SSVC decision-framework fields (automatable / technical impact / exploitation) were provided in the input, so SSVC-based prioritization cannot be independently computed here.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

On a host whose kernel (6.15+) runs a sleepable BPF LSM program that calls bpf_set_dentry_xattr()/bpf_remove_dentry_xattr() from the path_unlink or path_rmdir hooks, a local user performs an unlink or rmdir operation. Because security_path_unlink()/security_path_rmdir() run before vfs_unlink()/vfs_rmdir() take the victim inode's i_rwsem, the program mutates the victim's xattrs without the lock held, allowing unlocked concurrent access that can corrupt inode state or crash the kernel. No public exploit identified at time of analysis; the attack vector is local (AV:L) with low complexity (AC:L).

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.2% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 24, 2026

Linux kernel 6.15 and later builds with BPF LSM support can let a local actor who can load and attach a sleepable BPF LSM program to the path_unlink or path_rmdir hooks mutate a victim inode’s extended attributes without holding i_rwsem when the program calls bpf_set_dentry_xattr() or bpf_remove_dentry_xattr(). The verifier incorrectly treats those path hooks as inode-locked and rewrites the helpers to _locked variants, producing integrity and availability impact while confidentiality is unaffected; CVSS is 7.3 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H). Exposure is confined to systems with such a program attached and requires CAP_BPF/CAP_SYS_ADMIN to load/attach it; no public exploit was identified at time of analysis, and EPSS is 0.20% (9th percentile). Vendor patches are listed in 6.18.55, 7.2.9, and 7.3-rc5.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patch: Linux 6.18.55, 7.2.9, and 7.3-rc5; apply the branch-matching stable commit among https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/35d442ed1f86465e49df3119fb898f985186db13, https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/640d37fbd34d03af727dbc567f48c0203d1de6b4, and https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7504b677c4370c9e4b153c553ff8831c093b1ff6. Until the kernel is updated, the assessed exposure precondition is the presence of a sleepable BPF LSM program attached to path_unlink or path_rmdir that calls bpf_set_dentry_xattr() or bpf_remove_dentry_xattr(); removing or not attaching such a program keeps the vulnerable rewrite path unreachable. Loading/attaching that program requires CAP_BPF/CAP_SYS_ADMIN, so restricting those capabilities to trusted BPF tooling limits exposure, with the trade-off that legitimate BPF-based security or observability tooling may stop working.

Affected VersionsENISA

Linux 56467292794b800164df20c076c409ac548e56ec <35d442ed1f86465e49df3119fb898f985186db13
Linux 6.15
Linux 56467292794b800164df20c076c409ac548e56ec <640d37fbd34d03af727dbc567f48c0203d1de6b4
Linux 56467292794b800164df20c076c409ac548e56ec <7504b677c4370c9e4b153c553ff8831c093b1ff6
Linux patch: 6.18.55
Linux patch: 0
Linux patch: 7.3-rc5
Linux patch: 7.2.9

Affected Packages

euvd linux no fix

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

The bug sits in the Linux kernel’s BPF LSM integration. bpf_lsm_has_d_inode_locked() is used by the verifier to decide whether bpf_set_dentry_xattr() and bpf_remove_dentry_xattr() can be rewritten to the _locked helper variants, which assume the caller already holds the inode’s i_rwsem. The d_inode_locked_hooks list included the path_unlink and path_rmdir LSM hooks, but security_path_unlink() and security_path_rmdir() execute before vfs_unlink()/vfs_rmdir() acquire the victim inode’s i_rwsem; a sleepable BPF LSM program attached to either hook therefore reaches the _locked xattr helpers without the required lock. The fix removes those two path hooks from d_inode_locked_hooks so the verifier keeps the self-locking bpf_[set|remove]_dentry_xattr() variants. No CWE was supplied. CPE data identifies cpe:2.3:a:linux:linux:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*; EUVD lists Linux 6.15 and commit ranges starting at 56467292794b800164df20c076c409ac548e56ec, fixed by commits 35d442ed1f86465e49df3119fb898f985186db13, 640d37fbd34d03af727dbc567f48c0203d1de6b4, and 7504b677c4370c9e4b153c553ff8831c093b1ff6. The trigger is the interaction of a sleepable BPF LSM program on those two hooks with the affected xattr helpers; the vulnerable path is not reached without such a program, and loading/attaching it requires CAP_BPF/CAP_SYS_ADMIN. The supplied tag Information Disclosure does not align with the assessed CVSS C:N; the assessed impact is I:L/A:H.

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Severity by source

Vendor (Linux) PRIMARY 7.3 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H
vuln.today AI 7.3 HIGH

Locally triggered via unlink/rmdir (AV:L) with a privileged BPF LSM xattr program loaded (PR:L); unlocked inode-state corruption harms integrity (I:L) and availability (A:H), affecting the wider kernel (S:C), with no confidentiality impact.

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (Linux).

CVSS VectorVendor: Linux

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

4
CVSS changed
Oct 24, 2026 - 14:22 NVD
7.3 (HIGH)
Patch available
Oct 18, 2026 - 16:02 EUVD
CVE Published
Oct 18, 2026 - 15:18 cve.org
HIGH 7.3
CVE Published
Oct 18, 2026 - 15:18 cve.org
UNKNOWN (no severity yet)

DescriptionCVE.org

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

bpf: fs/xattr: don't assume the inode is locked in path_unlink/path_rmdir

bpf_lsm_has_d_inode_locked() makes the verifier rewrite bpf_[set|remove]_dentry_xattr() to the _locked variants, which assume that the caller already holds the inode's i_rwsem. The path_unlink and path_rmdir hooks are listed, but security_path_unlink() and security_path_rmdir() run before vfs_unlink()/vfs_rmdir() take the victim inode's i_rwsem, so a sleepable BPF LSM program attached to either hook mutates the victim's xattrs without the lock held.

Drop the two path hooks from d_inode_locked_hooks so that the verifier keeps the locking bpf_[set|remove]_dentry_xattr() variants, which take the lock themselves.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A high-severity vulnerability in the Linux kernel (CVE-2026-98543) could allow a local attacker with elevated privileges to corrupt file metadata, potentially causing data integrity and availability issues. However, exploitation requires a specific BPF program to be loaded and attached, and no public exploit has been identified, so the immediate risk to the organization is limited. Leadership should prioritize patching affected systems to maintain compliance and reduce exposure.

Business Impact: Medium
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 91% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Linux kernel is ubiquitous; vulnerable BPF LSM xattr path only in 6.15+
Data Quality
4 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.2%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Defer
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact
Medium

Priority Score

36
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +36
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

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