CVE-2026-98300: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: Don't call skb_clone_and_charge_r() for close()d listener in tcp_v6_do

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: Don't call skb_clone_and_charge_r() for close()d listener in tcp_v6_do_rcv().

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: Don't call skb_clone_and_charge_r() for close()d listener in tcp_v6_do_rcv(). tcp_v6_do_rcv() no longer calls skb_clone_and_charge_r() for TCP_LISTEN since commit 073d89808c06 ("net: fix data-races around sk->sk_forward_alloc"). However, there is still a small race window between tcp_v6_rcv() and tcp_v6_do_rcv(), where concurrent close() changes TCP_LISTEN to TCP_CLOSE, causing skb_clone_and_charge_r() to be called locklessly and resulting in the splat below. [0] Let's avoid calling skb_clone_and_charge_r() for TCP_CLOSE as well. This is fine for non-listeners because tcp_rcv_state_process() drops skb for TCP_CLOSE and opt_skb was freed immediately anyway. [0]: sk->sk_forward_alloc WARNING: net/ipv4/af_inet.c:162 at inet_sock_destruct+0x64d/0x810 net/ipv4/af_inet.c:162, CPU#1: ksoftirqd/1/28 Modules linked in: CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 28 Comm: ksoftirqd/1 Not tainted 7.2.0 #17 PREEMPT(full) Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 1.17.0-debian-1.17.0-1 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:inet_sock_destruct+0x64d/0x810 net/ipv4/af_inet.c:162 Code: 3d 49 ff e9 06 fd ff ff e8 d0 5b 83 f8 90 0f 0b 90 e9 35 fe ff

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

What it means for a small business

Linux is on the computers, phones or browsers your team uses every day. Turn on automatic updates and restart: most of these fixes only take effect after a restart.

How likely is an attack? The Exploit Prediction Scoring System, run by FIRST (the global association of security response teams), puts the odds of this one being exploited in the next 30 days at 0.18%, higher than 7% of CVEs. That’s low, but low isn’t zero, and the odds jump the day someone publishes an exploit. Scored October 28, 2026, updated daily.

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Sources

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

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