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CVE-2026-98021

Linux: net: reject oversized tx_queue_len at netlink parse time

Linux LinuxOperating systems
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.18%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 6% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in26ee5f99ffe7ab98e635071290eff14192e9e34aAlso 45ca9f59b6c7ea70e0a17054902b8a556913db34, 2fd0880f0272ec022906a05587fd91416ebecc38 and 1 moreCVE List
Published25 Sep 2026Updated 21 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 26ee5f99ffe7ab98e635071290eff14192e9e34aLinuxCVE List
  • 45ca9f59b6c7ea70e0a17054902b8a556913db34LinuxCVE List
  • 2fd0880f0272ec022906a05587fd91416ebecc38LinuxCVE List
  • 1aa9e143bf51405665a793d4cc925e1c4f0c5922LinuxCVE List

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

Description

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

net: reject oversized tx_queue_len at netlink parse time

rtnl_create_link() assigns IFLA_TXQLEN directly to dev->tx_queue_len without going through netif_change_tx_queue_len(), so a device created with "ip link add ... txqueuelen 500000" bypasses the S16_MAX cap and still triggers the oversized ring allocations in pfifo_fast, tun and tap. The veth peer nest (rtnl_nla_parse_ifinfomsg()) and the RTM_NEWLINK-on-existing-device path reach the same sinks.

Enforce the cap in ifla_policy instead: IFLA_TXQLEN becomes NLA_POLICY_FULL_RANGE(NLA_U32, &txqlen_range) with txqlen_range = { .min = 0, .max = S16_MAX }. All netlink consumers parse against this policy - rtnl_setlink(), rtnl_newlink() (create and change), and the veth peer nest - so every netlink path is capped at parse time and rejects the attribute with -ERANGE plus a proper "integer out of range" extack message before any device state is modified (the RTM_SETLINK half-application wart is gone with it).

Document the bound in the rt-link.yaml netlink spec.

Conditions to recreate the bug:

  • CONFIG_NET_SCHED=y, CONFIG_VETH=y, CONFIG_USER_NS=y, CONFIG_NET_NS=y.
  • Unprivileged user in a fresh user+net namespace (unshare -Urn):

ip link add v0 txqueuelen 500000 type veth peer name v1 -> on the fixed kernel this is rejected with -ERANGE ("integer out of range" extack) instead of installing an oversized tx_queue_len that later inflates pfifo_fast/tun/tap ring allocations.

  • ip link set v0 txqueuelen 500000 is likewise rejected at parse time.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 12

  • Linuxaffected: 38f7b870d4a6a5d3ec21557e849620cb7d032965 before 26ee5f99ffe7ab98e635071290eff14192e9e34aCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 38f7b870d4a6a5d3ec21557e849620cb7d032965 before 45ca9f59b6c7ea70e0a17054902b8a556913db34CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 38f7b870d4a6a5d3ec21557e849620cb7d032965 before 2fd0880f0272ec022906a05587fd91416ebecc38CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 38f7b870d4a6a5d3ec21557e849620cb7d032965 before a638a2625aa83160a394abe8e8b2e524a80c771bCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 38f7b870d4a6a5d3ec21557e849620cb7d032965 before 1aa9e143bf51405665a793d4cc925e1c4f0c5922CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 2.6.23CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 2.6.23CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.6.160 through 6.6.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.12.111 through 6.12.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.53 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2.7 through 7.2.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.3CVE List

References 5