CVE-2026-89479 — sctp: stop processing a packet once its association is deleted
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sctp: stop processing a packet once its association is deleted sctp_endpoint_bh_rcv() looks the association up only when chunk->asoc is NULL, and caches the result in chunk->asoc and chunk->transport without taking a reference. A packet that matches no association is handed to the endpoint, so a peer can bundle COOKIE ECHO, SHUTDOWN and SHUTDOWN ACK in one packet. The COOKIE ECHO creates the association, the SHUTDOWN chunk caches it, and with the outqueue empty the SHUTDOWN ACK reaches sctp_sf_do_9_2_final(), so the association and its transports are freed. The endpoint loop has no counterpart to the asoc->base.dead check in sctp_assoc_bh_rcv(). The next chunk writes to last_time_heard in the freed transport and is then passed to sctp_do_sm() with the freed association. The transport is freed through RCU, so this needs the packet to come off the socket backlog, where the loop runs in task context. The endpoint loop cannot do the same check: it holds no reference on the association, so reading asoc->base.dead would itself be a use-after-free. Mark the packet for discard in the command interpreter, just before it deletes the association. That is also before sctp_inq_free() releases the chunk on the association receive path. sctp_sf_do_5_2_4_dupcook() issues SCTP_CMD_DELETE_TCB for the temporary association, while the one the packet belongs to stays alive. A restarting peer can bundle DATA behind its COOKIE ECHO, so compare against chunk->asoc and leave that case alone.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.5% (30-day exploitation probability)+6
- Technical severity (critical)+10
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
≥ 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and < 7d970353eeb98f46a3b9dc602850e4f6336a9889≥ 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and < 09c3b193a3e8fe53e1f416e2f8e3283d2a785405≥ 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and < ed85fe91a61bc0e0da6b585c07102b20f4cc65a0≥ 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and < 5c0b2dbbdafc9eeeb11fffe1e46551fc3b55d8ee≥ 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and < ee3f04cf566f6041aa9a0360494fd8db5ade383a≥ 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and < fa306a40e716c5abcd967475459ce1ebd56e5115≥ 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and < a713e1b3a265f180ad25a08e17be15d67a2f7149≥ 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and < 47e15a8d12e366d0d261bcbc394394f44418938d and 1 moreversion 2.6.12 |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | 3.9 | 5.9 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67) Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- CVSS changed · 9.8
- Source status changed · → Received
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
8 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5c0b2dbbdafc9eeeb11fffe1e46551fc3b55d8ee
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a713e1b3a265f180ad25a08e17be15d67a2f7149
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/fa306a40e716c5abcd967475459ce1ebd56e5115
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/47e15a8d12e366d0d261bcbc394394f44418938d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/09c3b193a3e8fe53e1f416e2f8e3283d2a785405
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7d970353eeb98f46a3b9dc602850e4f6336a9889
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ee3f04cf566f6041aa9a0360494fd8db5ade383a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ed85fe91a61bc0e0da6b585c07102b20f4cc65a0
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 16h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 16h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98431 RDMA/uverbs: Fix mmap_lock/disassociation_lock circular dependency 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98430 RDMA/efa: Keep admin queues alive while IRQ is registered 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98429 RDMA/efa: Keep EQ resources alive while IRQ is registered 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98428 ALSA: usb: 6fire: Avoid embedded URBs 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No CWE classification.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-89479 is "sctp: stop processing a packet once its association is deleted", rated Critical. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 9.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.50% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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