All vulnerabilities
CVE-2026-98074

Linux: bonding: do not clear curr_active_slave prematurely when releasing all slaves

Linux LinuxOperating systems
Open in ThreatlineRecord JSON
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 in384739c631aa6749356ba062d6b7c9a484a733f6Also 7b435c69a30b40efc642de98b9bfa95fcf2ad4f0, 19ba7ecfade159b3702c78a360fd7d971e2b7109 and 1 moreCVE List
Published25 Sep 2026Updated 19 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 384739c631aa6749356ba062d6b7c9a484a733f6LinuxCVE List
  • 7b435c69a30b40efc642de98b9bfa95fcf2ad4f0LinuxCVE List
  • 19ba7ecfade159b3702c78a360fd7d971e2b7109LinuxCVE List
  • 6d0ee411d5437f3d126ea6979acb83a8da29dc81LinuxCVE 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:

bonding: do not clear curr_active_slave prematurely when releasing all slaves

When releasing all slaves during bond destruction (all == true), __bond_release_one() unconditionally clears bond->curr_active_slave to NULL in every iteration.

If a backup slave is released before the active slave, bond_alb_deinit_slave() triggers rlb_teach_disabled_mac_on_primary(), which increments the active slave dev promiscuity counter and sets bond_info->primary_is_promisc = 1.

Because bond->curr_active_slave was prematurely cleared to NULL when releasing the backup slave, the subsequent iteration releasing the active slave evaluates oldcurrent as NULL, so bond_change_active_slave(bond, NULL) is skipped. Consequently, bond_alb_handle_active_change() is never called to decrement the promiscuity counter, permanently leaking promiscuous mode on the physical device after bond teardown.

When oldcurrent == slave, bond_change_active_slave(bond, NULL) already sets bond->curr_active_slave to NULL. We only need to avoid selecting a new active slave when all == true. Replace the if (all) branch with if (!all && oldcurrent == slave).

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 18

  • Linuxaffected: 0896341a44bf04bf6149d9307fe4686006f3eee1 before b1ded242135071769902778dbab081e3fc09730fCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 0896341a44bf04bf6149d9307fe4686006f3eee1 before e39b203ec9e73852098d41b26386172d51babeb9CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 0896341a44bf04bf6149d9307fe4686006f3eee1 before 384739c631aa6749356ba062d6b7c9a484a733f6CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 0896341a44bf04bf6149d9307fe4686006f3eee1 before 7b435c69a30b40efc642de98b9bfa95fcf2ad4f0CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 0896341a44bf04bf6149d9307fe4686006f3eee1 before d6ef22e79c2be3612868daede0e9a84f05439d9eCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 0896341a44bf04bf6149d9307fe4686006f3eee1 before 19ba7ecfade159b3702c78a360fd7d971e2b7109CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 0896341a44bf04bf6149d9307fe4686006f3eee1 before 6d0ee411d5437f3d126ea6979acb83a8da29dc81CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 0896341a44bf04bf6149d9307fe4686006f3eee1 before af602c7aa5fedc9be3043244017aef4f26c96b70CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 3.9CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 3.9CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 5.10.271 through 5.10.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 5.15.222 through 5.15.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.1.189 through 6.1.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.6.158 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 8