CVE-2026-98598

What the bug is

Before the cited commit, fib6_nh_flush_exceptions() always set from->exception_bucket_flushed = 1 under rt6_exception_lock to prevent rt6_insert_exception() from inserting a new exception for a dying fib6_info. The flag was replaced with the FIB6_EXCEPTION_BUCKET_FLUSHED bit stored in nh->rt6i_exception_bucket. The problem is that now the bit is only set when the bucket is not NULL and fib6_nh_flush_exceptions() is called from fib6_nh_release() after fib6_ref has already reached zero. If rt6_insert_exception() is called while the target fib6_info is being removed via fib6_purge_rt(), a new exception could be created successfully because rt6_flush_exceptions() no longer sets the bit. This creates a reference cycle between the fib6_info and the exception route, leaking the fib6_info, its nexthop device, and all per-CPU routes in fib6_nh->rt6i_pcpu, which stalls netdev unregistration. [ 34.680602] unregister_netdevice: waiting for gre6 to become free. Usage count = 68 [ 44.920675] unregister_netdevice: waiting for gre6 to become free. Usage count = 68 [ 55.176582] unregister_netdevice: waiting for gre6 to become free. Usage count = 68 Let's call fib6_drop_pcpu_from() before rt6_flush_exceptions(), to set fib6_destroying before rt6_exception_lock, and check f6i->fib6_destroying in rt6_insert_exception(). Note that FIB6_EXCEPTION_BUCKET_FLUSHED logic is dead and we can clean it up in net-next.

Where it lives

The fix touches these files. If the subsystem is one you do not use, the practical exposure is lower, though the package is still the vulnerable one.

net/ipv6/ip6_fib.c
net/ipv6/route.c

What this is

NETWORKING [IPv4/IPv6]MAINTAINERS section matched on net/ipv6/ip* · netdev@vger.kernel.org · Maintained

Check it on the machine

grep -w CONFIG_IPV6 /boot/config-$(uname -r)

Reads the booted kernel's own configuration, on the machine and nowhere else. =y is built in, =m is a module, and an is not set line means the code is not there.

Show whether Debian builds this, per release

Debian builds this code. Every release below compiles the affected file into the kernels it ships.

• bookworm, trixie, forky, sidy

y

built into the kernel image on every flavour - only a patch removes it

Build switch

CONFIG_IPV6

From the configuration Debian publishes for every kernel flavour it builds. It covers only the architectures Debian ships a linux-config package for, and nothing about a kernel you built yourself. Debian's own status above stays authoritative about the source package.MAINTAINERS kbuild Makefiles Debian linux-config packages

Signals

Published

2026-10-18 (today)source

CVSS

no vector published, unrated

Attack vector

not published

EPSS

not scored

CISA KEV

not listedthe KEV catalogue

Debian urgency

not yet assignedsource

Subsystem

net/ipv6

Upstream fixes

The versions the CNA records as introducing and fixing this, and the commit for each. source

Introduced	Fixed in	Commit
5.3	6.18.55	649ffc76ed54
5.3	7.2.9	e03e77071e75
5.3	7.3	0346ec2f080b