Critical severity · published Oct 15, 2026
CVE-2026-99999
ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum
9.3
CVSS
0.8%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum
If a packet with bad checksum metadata gets into the ipv4 stack,
skb_checksum_help can corrupt the network header and cause a bunch of
mischief.
This was discovered and reported by Paulos, and has been reporoduced
by others independently since.
We really shouldn't allow such packets in, but as a defence
in depth measure, let's also check before we complete the checksum.
A more complete validation at input is forthcoming, but needs more work.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Changed
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.8% · higher than 56% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
LI
Linux · Linux
f43798c27684ab925adde7d8acc34c78c6e50df8 before a464d950f31c89565cbaae038cc60db04fe01956; f43798c27684ab925adde7d8acc34c78c6e50df8 before 0fab003ef4698e0628060a45a48f14b43ba2a40a; f43798c27684ab925adde7d8acc34c78c6e50df8 before 94524b7b32691de2e2ce162c04d6cbc9106e5cbf; f43798c27684ab925adde7d8acc34c78c6e50df8 before a65f69e0f38ffbed1b128029e09097436416dc8b; f43798c27684ab925adde7d8acc34c78c6e50df8 before 32a8b0adaa18e52aaa0b246b5ffe683075354dbb; f43798c27684ab925adde7d8acc34c78c6e50df8 before f3e835af6226f1dd12160cbd696081e9b6155de0; +3 more · source: vendor
In the news
VulnerabilityCritical
Critical PwnEscape Linux Kernel Vulnerability Lets Guest VMs Read Host Memory
A newly disclosed critical flaw in the Linux kernel allows code inside a virtual machine to read memory on the host computer it runs on. A researcher demonstrated the leak against Vercel's live cloud sandboxes, and Vercel confirmed it.
The flaw, now tracked as CVE-2026-99999 and nicknamed PwnEscape, is in the Linux kernel's networking code, not in any one cloud's setup, so it reaches the shared
Oct 15, 2026·The Hacker News
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-99999
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-99999
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0fab003ef4698e0628060a45a48f14b43ba2a40a
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/32a8b0adaa18e52aaa0b246b5ffe683075354dbb
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6785011f8b16abf40b1e9d8b2e332232b3e68822
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/94524b7b32691de2e2ce162c04d6cbc9106e5cbf
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a464d950f31c89565cbaae038cc60db04fe01956
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a65f69e0f38ffbed1b128029e09097436416dc8b
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