CVE-2026-98377
vlan: require the MAC header to be present in __vlan_insert_inner_tag()
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vlan: require the MAC header to be present in __vlan_insert_inner_tag() __vlan_insert_inner_tag() only guarantees head room via skb_cow_head(), never that mac_len bytes of MAC header are present. Its ETH_HLEN wrappers - __vlan_insert_tag() under skb_vlan_push(), and vlan_insert_tag() under validate_xmit_vlan() on the generic transmit path - therefore rewrite the first 16 bytes at skb->data: a 12-byte memmove plus two 2-byte stores at +12 and +14. No caller supplies the bound, while the pop helpers use skb_ensure_writable()/pskb_may_pull(). An IFF_TUN device has hard_header_len == 0, so packet_snd() accepts a one-byte AF_PACKET/SOCK_RAW frame. The first vlan push only sets a hwaccel tag; the next - clsact "action vlan push" or bpf_skb_vlan_push() - enters the helper with skb->len still 1. The head comes from skbuff_small_head without __GFP_ZERO, so each push drags bytes from beyond skb->tail into the frame. After three the one-byte send leaves as 13 bytes carrying 11 bytes of uninitialised slab: 0000: 5a b3 62 12 80 88 ff ff 00 b3 62 12 81 `------------------------------' only 0x5a was sent; the rest is slab, here the top 56 bits of a linear-map address Require the MAC header the helper rewrites to be present, so such a frame is dropped rather than transmitted.
INFO
Published Date :
Oct. 9, 2026, 8:16 a.m.
Last Modified :
Oct. 9, 2026, 8:16 a.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Solution
- Verify MAC header presence before VLAN tag insertion.
- Update kernel to include the fix for __vlan_insert_inner_tag().
- Drop malformed packets instead of transmitting them.
- Ensure skb_cow_head() guarantees sufficient headroom.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-98377.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-98377 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-98377
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
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CVE-2026-98377 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-98377 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
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New CVE Received by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Oct. 09, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vlan: require the MAC header to be present in __vlan_insert_inner_tag() __vlan_insert_inner_tag() only guarantees head room via skb_cow_head(), never that mac_len bytes of MAC header are present. Its ETH_HLEN wrappers - __vlan_insert_tag() under skb_vlan_push(), and vlan_insert_tag() under validate_xmit_vlan() on the generic transmit path - therefore rewrite the first 16 bytes at skb->data: a 12-byte memmove plus two 2-byte stores at +12 and +14. No caller supplies the bound, while the pop helpers use skb_ensure_writable()/pskb_may_pull(). An IFF_TUN device has hard_header_len == 0, so packet_snd() accepts a one-byte AF_PACKET/SOCK_RAW frame. The first vlan push only sets a hwaccel tag; the next - clsact "action vlan push" or bpf_skb_vlan_push() - enters the helper with skb->len still 1. The head comes from skbuff_small_head without __GFP_ZERO, so each push drags bytes from beyond skb->tail into the frame. After three the one-byte send leaves as 13 bytes carrying 11 bytes of uninitialised slab: 0000: 5a b3 62 12 80 88 ff ff 00 b3 62 12 81 `------------------------------' only 0x5a was sent; the rest is slab, here the top 56 bits of a linear-map address Require the MAC header the helper rewrites to be present, so such a frame is dropped rather than transmitted. Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/98xxx/CVE-2026-98377.json">CVE-2026-98377</a> Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/40a5cc4b7251c74f3341332a226d02200e96bccf Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/59af43ccece4d2d8b62e9e3ccc96b6e2e793bcdc Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ab888242fce4f16f6c4d4c6ec53939ad36aa3b3a Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f42562dd027dc4ed103fae17b2206e73ea1963c4