---
id: "CVE-2026-98534"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-98534"]
title: "Linux kernel IPE: use-after-free when auditing a newly loaded policy"
severity: "unknown"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["infrastructure", "linux-kernel", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["ipe-disabled"]
published_at: "2026-10-18T16:17:05+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T05:23:49+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98534", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel IPE: use-after-free when auditing a newly loaded policy

In the Linux kernel's IPE policy code, a newly loaded policy can be freed by a concurrent delete while it is still being audited. The sources describe a use-after-free, which can crash the kernel or be turned into memory corruption.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- unknown

## Fix

- unknown

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98534

## From the sources

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ipe: fix use-after-free when auditing a newly loaded policy

new_policy() audits the policy after ipe_new_policyfs_node() publishes it
and drops the new directory's inode lock. A concurrent delete can free
the policy while ipe_audit_policy_load() is still using it.

Audit the successful load under that lock.

[FW: remove model name according to latest guideline]

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_