CVE-2026-98061

bpf: Reject tail calls directly from callback frames

N/A
Published: September 25, 2026 at 10:24 AM UTC
Updated: October 19, 2026 at 10:18 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
N/A
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Reject tail calls directly from callback frames A tail call from a non-zero frame is modeled as a return from that frame. The verifier makes R0 unknown and calls prepare_func_exit() for the taken branch. When the current frame is a synchronous callback, prepare_func_exit() enforces the callback return-value contract and marks R0 precise. Since the tail-call path synthesized R0 rather than deriving it from an instruction, precision backtracking reaches the callback-calling instruction with R0 still requested and triggers the "callback unexpected regs" verifier bug. A CAP_BPF task can therefore cause a WARN and an -EFAULT BPF_PROG_LOAD. Tail calls reachable from callbacks are already rejected later by check_max_stack_depth(). Reject a tail call made directly by a callback before constructing the inconsistent return state, using the existing diagnostic. Tail calls from ordinary subprograms keep their current behavior.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

6.18.26.19a6c22c91b6284e4713c0cf5b20ab3c9c71b77ae8e3245f8990431950d20631c72236d4e8cb2dcde8
Vendor states this is fixed in 266aa4ad0b2e82397cd9045752c9bff03d98eddd (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 617c8266e49f45747f71e74177646a63f72b7025 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 96d31b28263c429a56e4de85bcf744a5c320b3a3 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.18.53 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.19 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.2.7 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.3 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.3-rc2 (unaffected)

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet, and no fixed version or vendor advisory is recorded against it.

Quick Info

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