Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2026-98862

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: audit: fix exe mark UAF in kill_rules() kill_rules() removes mixed AUDIT_DIR and AUDIT_EXE rules when an audit t

Published Oct 18, 2026 · catalog updated Oct 20, 2026 · Linux Linux Kernel

Open the advisory

Exploitation likelihood is not on this record for CVE-2026-98862. A missing EPSS score is not a low risk. Compare Linux Linux Kernel with the linked advisory before you change production.

Gaps on this record

  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
  • EPSS is missing. A missing score is not a low risk.
Severity
Unknown—
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
Awaiting synchronization with FIRST
Remediation
Advisory link
Affected products
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS linux-hwe-edge · 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 · Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-aws

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: audit: fix exe mark UAF in kill_rules() kill_rules() removes mixed AUDIT_DIR and AUDIT_EXE rules when an audit tree is pruned. It drops entry->rule.exe before removing the rule from the RCU-visible filter lists. After a rule has been installed with AUDIT_ADD_RULE, which requires CAP_AUDIT_CONTROL, removing the watched directory can race with another task that is still evaluating the rule. In that case, fsnotify can free the executable mark before the reader reaches audit_mark_compare(), causing a use-after-free. KASAN reports: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in audit_mark_compare+0x8d/0xa0 Unlink the published rules from the RCU-visible lists and retain them on tree->rules for cleanup. If any rule has an executable mark, wait for a single RCU grace period before removing the marks and scheduling the entries for freeing. Otherwise, call_rcu() already provides the required deferred freeing without a synchronous wait.

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 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
  • Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS linux-oracle4.15.0-1007.9~16.04.1, 4.15.0-1008.10~16.04.1, 4.15.0-1009.11~16.04.1
  • linux kernelversion unspecified

How to fix CVE-2026-98862

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

Exploitation likelihood is not on this record for CVE-2026-98862. A missing EPSS score is not a low risk. Compare Linux Linux Kernel with the linked advisory before you change production.

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, 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, 4.4.0-1001.10, 4.4.0-1003.12, 4.4.0-1004.13. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

No weakness class is stored. EPSS is not on this record yet. 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.

  1. Oct 19, 2026 · OpenSSF OSV / OSV Scanner

    Detected

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: audit: fix exe mark UAF in kill_rules() kill_rules() removes mixed AUDIT_DIR and AUDIT_EXE rules when an audit tree is pruned. It drops entry->rule.exe before removing the rule from the RCU-visible filter lists. After a rule has been installed with AUDIT_ADD_RULE, which requires CAP_AUDIT_CONTROL, removing the watched directory ca

  2. Oct 20, 2026 · OpenSSF OSV / OSV Scanner

    Updated

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: audit: fix exe mark UAF in kill_rules() kill_rules() removes mixed AUDIT_DIR and AUDIT_EXE rules when an audit tree is pruned. It drops entry->rule.exe before removing the rule from the RCU-visible filter lists. After a rule has been installed with AUDIT_ADD_RULE, which requires CAP_AUDIT_CONTROL, removing the watched directory ca

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-98862

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • Linux Kernel CVEVendor advisoryCVE-2026-98862

    From: Greg Kroah-Hartman Description =========== In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: audit: fix exe mark UAF in kill_rules() kill_rules() removes mixed AUDIT_DIR and AUDIT_EXE rules when an audit tree is pruned. It drops entry->rule.exe before remo

    git.kernel.org
  • OpenSSF OSV / OSV ScannerPackage advisoryUBUNTU-CVE-2026-98862
    osv.dev

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 20, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.