{"id":"CVE-2026-98842","kind":"vulnerability","aliases":["CVE-2026-98842"],"related":[],"title":"Linux kernel: module load failure returns success and leaks memory","description":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nmodule: fix lost error code from codetag_load_module()\n\nIf codetag_load_module() fails, err is not set to reflect the failure\nand load_module() returns 0 after the module has been torn down.\n\nAlso, if the module is a livepatch, mod->klp_info allocated by\ncopy_module_elf() leaks on this error path.  Free it via a new\nlivepatch_cleanup label.","summary":"When the kernel's codetag loader fails while loading a module, the load reports success anyway, and for livepatch modules a small allocation is leaked. The sources describe a reliability and resource-leak problem rather than code execution.","severity":"low","cvss":null,"epss":null,"exploited":false,"exploited_at":null,"products":[],"ecosystems":[],"tags":["infrastructure","linux-kernel","self-hosted"],"not_affected_if":["no-kernel-modules-loaded"],"how_to_check":null,"fix":null,"status":"open","published_at":"2026-10-18T16:17:38+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:17+00:00","triaged_at":"2026-10-25T05:13:10+00:00","updated_at":"2026-10-25T05:13:10+00:00","category":"infrastructure","confidence":0.6,"triage":{"at":"2026-10-25T05:13:10Z","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","output":{"fix":"unknown","reach":"local","title":"Linux kernel: module load failure returns success and leaks memory","impact":"low","summary":"When the kernel's codetag loader fails while loading a module, the load reports success anyway, and for livepatch modules a small allocation is leaked. The sources describe a reliability and resource-leak problem rather than code execution.","category":"infrastructure","nicknames":[],"who_cares":["linux-kernel","self-hosted"],"confidence":0.6,"needs_auth":"unknown","worst_case":"failed module load reports success and leaks memory","analyst_note":"Check the kernel.org stable commit or distro advisory for affected and fixed kernel versions.","how_to_check":"unknown","needs_analyst":true,"not_affected_if":["no-kernel-modules-loaded"],"who_is_affected":"Systems running a Linux kernel build that includes the module code-tag loader, mainly those loading kernel modules or livepatches. The sources do not say which kernel versions are fixed, so check the distribution's advisory. Systems that load no kernel modules are unlikely to be affected.","user_interaction":"no","needs_special_setup":"unknown","severity_if_unknown":"low"},"cost_usd":0.000543,"input_tokens":3349,"output_tokens":417,"severity_before":"unknown"},"analyst_status":null,"analyst_note":null,"search":"'-2026':12A,15A '-98842':13A,16A '0':99C 'alloc':46B,117C 'also':107C 'anyway':39B 'cleanup':133C 'code':61B,77C 'codetag':28B,79C,83C 'copi':119C 'cve':11A,14A 'describ':51B 'elf':121C 'err':87C 'error':76C,125C 'execut':62B 'fail':30B,86C 'failur':5A,94C 'fix':74C 'follow':68C 'free':127C 'host':23B 'info':116C 'infrastructur':17B 'kernel':2A,20B,26B,66C 'klp':115C 'label':134C 'leak':9A,48B,57B,122C 'linux':1A,19B,65C 'linux-kernel':18B 'livepatch':42B,113C,132C 'load':4A,32B,36B,80C,84C,96C 'loader':29B 'lost':75C 'memori':10A 'mod':114C 'modul':3A,34B,43B,73C,81C,85C,97C,102C,110C,120C 'new':131C 'path':126C 'problem':58B 'rather':59B 'reflect':92C 'reliabl':53B 'report':37B 'resolv':72C 'resourc':56B 'resource-leak':55B 'return':6A,98C 'self':22B 'self-host':21B 'set':90C 'small':45B 'sourc':50B 'success':7A,38B 'torn':105C 'via':129C 'vulner':69C","nicknames":[],"mitigations":[],"who_affected":"Systems running a Linux kernel build that includes the module code-tag loader, mainly those loading kernel modules or livepatches. The sources do not say which kernel versions are fixed, so check the distribution's advisory. Systems that load no kernel modules are unlikely to be affected.","tier":"C","verified":{},"analyst_revisit_at":null,"first_public_at":"2026-10-18T16:17:38+00:00","kev":null,"cvss_vector":null,"cvss_by":null,"poc_count":0,"sources":[{"source":"nvd","external_id":"CVE-2026-98842","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98842","severity":null,"published_at":"2026-10-18T16:17:38+00:00","modified_at":"2026-10-19T10:19:48+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:17+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-23T22:28:56+00:00","note":null}],"documents":[],"notice":"Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai"}