{"cve":"CVE-2026-98040","nvd":{"published":"2026-09-25T11:17:32.773","modified":"2026-10-19T10:17:57.910","status":"Received","description":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nbpf: Mark the zero register precise for a register-form NULL check\n\ncheck_cond_jmp_op() accepts \"if rA <op> rB\" as a NULL check for a\nnullable pointer rA when rB is a scalar known to be zero,\nlifts PTR_MAYBE_NULL from rA in the corresponding branch and does not\nmark rB precise. Consider the following program:\n\n  r0 = bpf_get_prandom_u32();\n  r6 = 1;                  /* the r6 == 0 path is explored first */\n  if (r0 == 0) goto 1f;\n  r6 = 0;\n1:\n  r0 = bpf_map_lookup_elem(map, &0);  /* absent, NULL at runtime */\n  if (r0 == r6) goto 2f;   /* taken as a NULL check for r0       */\n  *(u8 *)(r0 + 0);         /* verifier: map value; runtime: zero */\n2:\n  return 0;\n\nThe r6 == 0 path is explored first and the dereference is accepted.\nThe r6 == 1 path is pruned at the checkpoint recorded for (1),\nso the comparison is never verified with a non-zero r6. At runtime a\nfailed lookup returns NULL, NULL != 1 takes the non-NULL edge and the\nprogram dereferences a pointer that is zero.","cvss_v4":null,"cvss_v3":null,"cwes":[],"references":["https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6aed0134d3cda6382385a734ae0158eb7df6b142","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ddca9a3b8833168dda3e62676648a636fb3f221c"],"products":[],"source":"nvd","synced_at":"2026-10-19T22:56:02.509636177+00:00"},"epss":{"cve":"CVE-2026-98040","score":0.00203,"percentile":0.10183,"date":"2026-10-25"},"kev":null,"osv":[],"attribution":["This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.","EPSS scores: FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System, https://www.first.org/epss","Known exploited vulnerabilities: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","Package advisories: OSV (https://osv.dev), from the GitHub Advisory Database, PyPA, Go, RustSec and other ecosystem databases, under CC-BY 4.0 or CC0","CVE records: the CVE Program's CVE List (https://www.cve.org), under its terms of use (https://www.cve.org/Legal/TermsOfUse). CVE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation; this product is not affiliated with the CVE Program."]}