Vulnerability · CVE-2026-98158
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ppp_async: drop the errored frame instead of resetting its headroom ppp_receive_nonmp_frame() prepends a two-byt
Published Sep 25, 2026 · catalog updated Oct 14, 2026 · In the Linux kernel,
Check if you run it
No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-98158. EPSS is 0.16%. Act only if a listed version of In the Linux kernel, is installed.
Gaps on this record
- The stored product name is a package slug. The name on this page is taken from the title (In the Linux kernel,).
- No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
- Severity
- Unknown—
- Known exploitation
- Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
- EPSS
- 0.16%
- Remediation
- Advisory link
- Affected products
- Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge · Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux · Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-aws · Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-azure · Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-lts-xenial · Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ppp_async: drop the errored frame instead of resetting its headroom ppp_receive_nonmp_frame() prepends a two-byte direction tag before running the pass/active BPF filters: *(__be16 *)skb_push(skb, 2) = htons(PPP_FILTER_INBOUND_TAG); Nothing on the receive path guarantees those two bytes of headroom. The frame-error path in ppp_async's process_input_packet() resets a reused skb's headroom to zero while claiming to restore it to a freshly allocated state - but a fresh skb from dev_alloc_skb() carries NET_SKB_PAD: err: if (skb) { /* make skb appear as freshly allocated */ skb_trim(skb, 0); skb_reserve(skb, - skb_headroom(skb)); } ap->rpkt still points at that skb, so the next frame is reassembled into it with no headroom at all. A peer that sends a bad-FCS frame followed by one beginning ff 03 then leaves a single byte of headroom by the time the filter tag is pushed, which lands one byte below skb->head: skbuff: skb_under_panic: len:49 put:2 head:ffff888003c10000 data:ffff888003c0ffff tail:0x30 end:0x640 dev: kernel BUG at net/core/skbuff.c:214! RIP: 0010:skb_panic+0x13e/0x230 Call Trace: skb_push+0xbd/0x100 ppp_receive_nonmp_frame+0x48a/0x1d10 ppp_input+0x4e9/0x2f80 ppp_async_process+0x2a/0xe0 tasklet_action_common+0x20f/0x8a0 handle_softirqs+0x18e/0x590 Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception in interrupt Zeroing the headroom violates the NET_SKB_PAD guarantee that dev_alloc_skb() gives the rest of the receive path. Besides the filter panic above, when CCP compression is enabled ppp_decompress_frame() hands skb->data - 2 to ->decompress()/->incomp(), which then reads out of bounds before skb->head for the same reason. Rather than restore the headroom, drop the errored frame - as ppp_synctty already does on its error path - and clear ap->rpkt so the next frame is reassembled into a fresh skb with proper headroom. This is simpler and fixes both the filter under-panic and the CCP out-of-bounds read
Are you affected?
Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.
The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.
- Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge4.8.0-28.30~16.04.1, 4.8.0-30.32~16.04.1, 4.8.0-32.34~16.04.1
- Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux3.11.0-12.19, 3.12.0-1.3, 3.12.0-2.5
- Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-aws4.4.0-1002.2, 4.4.0-1003.3, 4.4.0-1005.5
- Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-azure4.15.0-1023.24~14.04.1, 4.15.0-1030.31~14.04.1, 4.15.0-1031.32~14.04.1
- Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS linux-lts-xenial4.4.0-13.29~14.04.1, 4.4.0-14.30~14.04.2, 4.4.0-15.31~14.04.1
- Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux4.2.0-16.19, 4.2.0-17.21, 4.2.0-19.23
- Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-aws4.4.0-1001.10, 4.4.0-1003.12, 4.4.0-1004.13
- Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-aws-hwe4.15.0-1030.31~16.04.1, 4.15.0-1031.33~16.04.1, 4.15.0-1032.34~16.04.1
- Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-azure4.11.0-1009.9, 4.11.0-1011.11, 4.11.0-1013.13
- Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-gcp4.10.0-1004.4, 4.10.0-1006.6, 4.10.0-1007.7
- Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-hwe4.8.0-36.36~16.04.1, 4.8.0-39.42~16.04.1, 4.8.0-41.44~16.04.1
- Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-kvm4.4.0-1004.9, 4.4.0-1007.12, 4.4.0-1008.13
How to fix CVE-2026-98158
Recommended remediation
A patch or advisory reference is linked. Open the original publisher for availability by product version.
Official advisories
What to do
Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.
Should you patch?
No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-98158. EPSS is 0.16%. Act only if a listed version of In the Linux kernel, is installed.
Which versions are affected?
Compare what you have installed with 4.8.0-28.30~16.04.1, 4.8.0-30.32~16.04.1, 4.8.0-32.34~16.04.1, 3.11.0-12.19, 3.12.0-1.3, 3.12.0-2.5, 4.4.0-1002.2, 4.4.0-1003.3, 4.4.0-1005.5, 4.15.0-1023.24~14.04.1, 4.15.0-1030.31~14.04.1, 4.15.0-1031.32~14.04.1, 4.4.0-13.29~14.04.1, 4.4.0-14.30~14.04.2, 4.4.0-15.31~14.04.1, 4.2.0-16.19, 4.2.0-17.21, 4.2.0-19.23. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.
What should an analyst verify?
No weakness class is stored. EPSS 0.16%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.
Technology hubs
Code
The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.
Timeline
Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.
Sep 25, 2026 · Catalog
Detected
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ppp_async: drop the errored frame instead of resetting its headroom ppp_receive_nonmp_frame() prepends a two-byte direction tag before running the pass/active BPF filters: *(__be16 *)skb_push(skb, 2) = htons(PPP_FILTER_INBOUND_TAG); Nothing on the receive path guarantees those two bytes of headroom. The frame-error path in ppp_asy
Oct 14, 2026 · Catalog
Updated
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ppp_async: drop the errored frame instead of resetting its headroom ppp_receive_nonmp_frame() prepends a two-byte direction tag before running the pass/active BPF filters: *(__be16 *)skb_push(skb, 2) = htons(PPP_FILTER_INBOUND_TAG); Nothing on the receive path guarantees those two bytes of headroom. The frame-error path in ppp_asy
Sources
- CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-98158
Official CVE identifier
cve.org - FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-98158
30-day exploitation probability 0.2%
first.org - OpenSSF OSV / OSV ScannerPackage advisoryUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98158osv.dev
References
Freshness
Last verified in this catalog Oct 18, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.