CVE-2026-98573: net: skbuff: fix pull-bound underflow in skb_checksum_setup_ipv6()

Severity: unknown
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-10-18 · updated 2026-10-19

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: skbuff: fix pull-bound underflow in skb_checksum_setup_ipv6() skb_maybe_pull_tail() subtracts skb_headlen(skb) from the unsigned max argument and passes the result to __pskb_pull_tail() as a signed int. The function does not ensure that max is at least skb_headlen(skb). This can happen while parsing IPv6 extension headers when an skb already has a linear area larger than MAX_IPV6_HDR_LEN. Once the parser needs data beyond the linear area, max - skb_headlen(skb) wraps and is converted to a negative delta. __pskb_pull_tail() then passes that negative length to skb_copy_bits(), where it can become a very large copy length. Pass the requested length itself as the pull bound at the three extension-header call sites, so the delta can no longer go negative.

Affected products

Linux kernel: 3.13 — fixed in 7.3

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 7.3. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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