HighCVE-2026-99167

    Linux Kernel: Use-After-Free (CVE-2026-99167)

    Published Last modified Sources: Debian, Msrc Update Guide, CVE.org, BSI

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    What is affected, what to do

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: fix use-after-free in __tcf_action_put() __tcf_action_put() decrements the reference count before decrementing the binding count. Another thread can free the action between these operations, causing the binding-count update to access freed memory.

    Update Linux Kernel to version 5.10.273, Linux Kernel to version 5.15.224, Linux Kernel to version 6.1.191.

    Affected
    • Linux Kernel lt 4.19..5.10.273
    • Linux Kernel lt 5.11..5.15.224
    • Linux Kernel lt 5.16..6.1.191
    • Linux Kernel lt 6.2..6.6.161
    • Linux Kernel lt 6.7..6.12.115
    • Linux Kernel lt 6.13..6.18.59
    • Linux Kernel lt 6.19..7.2.13
    Fixed in
    • Linux Kernel 5.10.273
    • Linux Kernel 5.15.224
    • Linux Kernel 6.1.191
    • Linux Kernel 6.6.161
    • Linux Kernel 6.12.115
    • Linux Kernel 6.18.59
    • Linux Kernel 7.2.13
    • Linux Kernel 7.3

    Not sure whether and how you are affected? Ask a question about this vulnerability

    Metrics

    7.8

    Priority

    XIEM Effective CVSS: highest available CVSS rating from NVD and vendor data.

    Source: Vendor (CNA), CVSS v3

    7.8

    CVSS v3

    Severity High on the scale from 0 to 10.

    Source: Debian, Msrc Update Guide, CVE.org, BSI

    0.1 %

    EPSS score

    Low — model estimates < 1% exploitation likelihood.

    Source: FIRST EPSS, percentile 2.7

    Show all metrics
    Severity
    High
    Priority (0–325)

    The priority score is a consolidated metric that condenses several individual signals into a single, action-guiding ranking: technical severity (CVSS), exploitation likelihood (EPSS), known-exploited status (KEV) and the context of the affected asset. The aim is to answer the only truly important question in vulnerability management: what first?

    Read in glossary
    69.06 Methodology
    Exploit maturity

    An exploit is code or a technique that specifically uses a concrete vulnerability to force unintended behaviour — such as executing code or escalating privileges. It is the tool that turns a theoretical flaw into a practical attack.

    Read in glossary
    no public PoC known
    XIEM Effective CVSS

    XIEM® is the tiered managed-security operating model from NEOSEC and a registered trademark of NEOSEC GmbH. It extends classic SIEM — the central collection, normalisation and correlation of security-relevant events — with endpoint forensics, network visibility and deception technology, and consolidates them into three building tiers: Sentry, Orchestrate and Command.

    Read in glossary
    7.8 Methodology
    CVSS v3

    CVSS is the globally established, open standard for assessing the technical severity of a vulnerability on a scale from 0 to 10. It describes how easily a flaw can be exploited and what damage it can cause — but not how likely its actual exploitation is. CVSS and the complementary EPSS deliberately answer different questions.

    Read in glossary
    7.8
    EPSS score

    The EPSS score is the absolute model output for an individual vulnerability: the estimated probability of real-world exploitation within the next 30 days, expressed as a value between 0 and 1 (i.e. 0 % to 100 %). A score of 0.42 means „the model estimates a 42 % chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days“.

    Read in glossary
    0.1 %
    Low — model estimates < 1% exploitation likelihood.
    EPSS percentile

    The EPSS percentile is the relative position of a vulnerability within all EPSS-scored CVEs, expressed as a value between 0 and 1. A percentile of 0.90 means „this CVE has a higher EPSS score than 90 % of all other scored CVEs“. Unlike the EPSS score, it is not a probability — but a positioning within a ranking.

    Read in glossary
    2.7
    Low — this CVE sits in the lower 10% of all CVEs scored today.
    KEV status

    The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.

    Read in glossary
    —
    Published

    Detection rules

    No NEOSEC detection rule is available for this vulnerability yet.

    Classification under NIS2 and CRA

    Rule-based classification from exploitation status and severity. It does not replace a case-by-case assessment.

    NIS2

    NIS2 is EU Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to raise the level of cybersecurity across the Union. It substantially broadens obligations compared with the first NIS directive: more sectors, mandatory risk management, staged reporting duties and personal accountability of senior management.

    Read in glossary
    High technical severity: assess and remediate the vulnerability in vulnerability handling under Art. 21(2)(e) NIS2 and document the decision.
    CRA

    The CRA is EU Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 setting horizontal cybersecurity requirements for „products with digital elements“ — from industrial controllers and software to connected consumer devices. For the first time manufacturers must ensure security across the entire product lifecycle, handle vulnerabilities and provide security updates.

    Read in glossary
    From 11.12.2027, Annex I Part II CRA requires manufacturers of affected products with digital elements to handle vulnerabilities without delay and provide security updates.
    ISO/IEC 27001

    ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally leading standard for an information security management system (ISMS). It describes a risk-based, process-oriented framework to systematically plan, implement, review and improve information security.

    Read in glossary
    Control A.8.8, management of technical vulnerabilities: assess relevance to your systems, plan remediation and keep evidence.

    Description

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: fix use-after-free in __tcf_action_put() __tcf_action_put() decrements the reference count before decrementing the binding count. Another thread can free the action between these operations, causing the binding-count update to access freed memory. KASAN reports it as: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in __tcf_action_put+0x327/0x340 Write of size 4 at addr ff11000000d46420 by task tc-put-pause/64 Hold the action IDR mutex across both counter updates and IDR removal, keeping cleanup outside the lock.

    Source: Debian Security Advisories, Microsoft Security Update Guide, cvelistv5, NVD (NIST), BSI WID Portal, BSI CSAF

    Affected products

    The following versions are affected. Older releases of the same product line are also vulnerable unless stated otherwise.

    Affected products
    Affected versionsFixed in
    LinuxLinux
    • 6.7 – < 6.12.115
    • 6.19 – < 7.2.13
    • 5.11 – < 5.15.224
    • 5.16 – < 6.1.191
    • 6.13 – < 6.18.59
    • 4.19 – < 5.10.273
    • —
    • 6.2 – < 6.6.161
    • 6.12.115
    • 7.2.13
    • 5.15.224
    • 6.1.191
    • 6.18.59
    • 5.10.273
    • 7.3
    • 6.6.161

    Vendors and products

    Affected operating systems

    Affected operating systems
    Linuxdebianlinuxtrixie

    References & sources

    Changes to this CVE

    Who changed this CVE and when: NVD (analysis, affected products, CVSS), the CVE publisher (CNA) and additional providers such as CISA (ADP).

    1. Record modifiedLinux

      CVSS V3.1: AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

      Show the original change
      Individual changes of this event as published by NVD
      TypeActionBeforeAfter
      CVSSadded
      —
      AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

      Source identifier: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

    2. Record modifiedLinux

      Show 6 original changes
      Individual changes of this event as published by NVD
      TypeActionBeforeAfter
      Affected versions (publisher)added
      —
      Affected value modified. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/99xxx/CVE-2026-99167.json">CVE-2026-99167</a>
      Referenceadded
      —
      https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d83a3fc03bc595dd39b79ad61288738fbb1f2ba
      Referenceadded
      —
      https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/969ad6f2b266f383b44194d50d15631969b26222
      Referenceadded
      —
      https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fcc7d734ceccfab8ec3398c5b34f8e775d459507
      Referenceadded
      —
      https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fd01abed2568209f7daaf60e5ee68ae4a4744f48
      Referenceadded
      —
      https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fde33eb9955d819af282d5f5e84684eaec248291

      Source identifier: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

    3. ReceivedLinux

      Description added or changed

      Show 5 original changes
      Individual changes of this event as published by NVD
      TypeActionBeforeAfter
      Descriptionadded
      —
      In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: fix use-after-free in __tcf_action_put() __tcf_action_put() decrements the reference count before decrementing the binding count. Another thread can free the action between these operations, causing the binding-count update to access freed memory. KASAN reports it as: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in __tcf_action_put+0x327/0x340 Write of size 4 at addr ff11000000d46420 by task tc-put-pause/64 Hold the action IDR mutex across both counter updates and IDR removal, keeping cleanup outside the lock.
      Affected versions (publisher)added
      —
      New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/99xxx/CVE-2026-99167.json">CVE-2026-99167</a>
      Referenceadded
      —
      https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2465d27ef90de9105c2bffb6c35f8ce08918e642
      Referenceadded
      —
      https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e012e431aa271ef3c84206f48854f539c03bff0
      Referenceadded
      —
      https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7b16eb911091aae237a8673da94e4dfb9cd21d54

      Source identifier: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

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