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CVE-2026-98377

Linux: vlan: require the MAC header to be present in __vlan_insert_inner_tag()

Linux LinuxOperating systems
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.16%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 4% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in3d531429524df2c7116579306640283fea68bcf0Also 40a5cc4b7251c74f3341332a226d02200e96bccf, 59af43ccece4d2d8b62e9e3ccc96b6e2e793bcdcCVE List
Published9 Oct 2026Updated 21 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 3d531429524df2c7116579306640283fea68bcf0LinuxCVE List
  • 40a5cc4b7251c74f3341332a226d02200e96bccfLinuxCVE List
  • 59af43ccece4d2d8b62e9e3ccc96b6e2e793bcdcLinuxCVE 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:

vlan: require the MAC header to be present in __vlan_insert_inner_tag()

__vlan_insert_inner_tag() only guarantees head room via skb_cow_head(), never that mac_len bytes of MAC header are present. Its ETH_HLEN wrappers - __vlan_insert_tag() under skb_vlan_push(), and vlan_insert_tag() under validate_xmit_vlan() on the generic transmit path - therefore rewrite the first 16 bytes at skb->data: a 12-byte memmove plus two 2-byte stores at +12 and +14. No caller supplies the bound, while the pop helpers use skb_ensure_writable()/pskb_may_pull().

An IFF_TUN device has hard_header_len == 0, so packet_snd() accepts a one-byte AF_PACKET/SOCK_RAW frame. The first vlan push only sets a hwaccel tag; the next - clsact "action vlan push" or bpf_skb_vlan_push() - enters the helper with skb->len still 1. The head comes from skbuff_small_head without __GFP_ZERO, so each push drags bytes from beyond skb->tail into the frame. After three the one-byte send leaves as 13 bytes carrying 11 bytes of uninitialised slab:

0000: 5a b3 62 12 80 88 ff ff 00 b3 62 12 81 `------------------------------' only 0x5a was sent; the rest is slab, here the top 56 bits of a linear-map address

Require the MAC header the helper rewrites to be present, so such a frame is dropped rather than transmitted.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 12

  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 3d531429524df2c7116579306640283fea68bcf0CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 40a5cc4b7251c74f3341332a226d02200e96bccfCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before f42562dd027dc4ed103fae17b2206e73ea1963c4CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 59af43ccece4d2d8b62e9e3ccc96b6e2e793bcdcCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before ab888242fce4f16f6c4d4c6ec53939ad36aa3b3aCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 2.6.12CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 2.6.12CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.6.160 through 6.6.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.12.112 through 6.12.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.55 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2.9 through 7.2.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.3CVE List

References 5