---
id: "CVE-2026-99088"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-99088"]
title: "Linux kernel: Open vSwitch IPv6 fragment rewrite triggers a debug-only warning"
severity: "unknown"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["infrastructure", "ipv6", "linux-kernel", "open-vswitch"]
not_affected_if: ["default-config"]
published_at: "2026-10-26T15:16:47+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-26T16:02:26+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-26T16:04:12+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-99088", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-26T16:02:26+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel: Open vSwitch IPv6 fragment rewrite triggers a debug-only warning

In the Linux kernel's Open vSwitch code, rewriting IPv6 addresses on non-first IPv6 fragments reads an uninitialized transport header offset. The sources describe this as a harmless warning that appears only with CONFIG_DEBUG_NET enabled, and the fix returns early for fragments.

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

## Timeline

- 2026-10-26T16:02:26+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-99088

## From the sources

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

net: openvswitch: validate transport header presence in set_ipv6_addr

When executing IPv6 address rewrite actions on IPv6 fragments,
set_ipv6_addr() calls update_ipv6_checksum(). If parse_ipv6hdr()
processes a non-first IPv6 fragment, it sets key->ip.proto to
NEXTHDR_FRAGMENT and returns early without calling
skb_set_transport_header().

update_ipv6_checksum() unconditionally evaluates skb_transport_offset()
on entry before checking l4_proto.  Because skb->transport_header is
uninitialized, this triggers a warning under CONFIG_DEBUG_NET=y although
it is completely harmless.

Fix this by returning early in update_ipv6_checksum() if l4_proto is
NEXTHDR_FRAGMENT. This avoids reading the uninitialized transport offset
for fragments while preserving the debug warning for any other protocol
where the transport header is unexpectedly missing.

See the syzbot trace:

!skb_transport_header_was_set(skb)
WARNING: ./include/linux/skbuff.h:3075 at skb_transport_header include/linux/skbuff.h:3075 [inline], CPU#1: syz-executor463/5635
WARNING: ./include/linux/skbuff.h:3075 at skb_transport_offset include/linux/skbuff.h:3250 [inline], CPU#1: syz-executor463/5635
WARNING: ./include/linux/skbuff.h:3075 at update_ipv6_checksum net/openvswitch/actions.c:361 [inline], CPU#1: syz-executor463/5635
WARNING: ./include/linux/skbuff.h:3075 at set_ipv6_addr+0x462/0x660 net/openvswitch/actions.c:399, CPU#1: syz-executor463/5635
[...]
RIP: 0010:skb_transport_header include/linux/skbuff.h:3075 [inline]
RIP: 0010:skb_transport_offset include/linux/skbuff.h:3250 [inline]
RIP: 0010:update_ipv6_checksum net/openvswitch/actions.c:361 [inline]
RIP: 0010:set_ipv6_addr+0x462/0x660 net/openvswitch/actions.c:399
[...]
Call Trace:
 <TASK>
 set_ipv6 net/openvswitch/actions.c:531 [inline]
 do_execute_actions+0x557e/0x8600 net/openvswitch/actions.c:1366
 ovs_execute_actions+0xde/0x520 net/openvswitch/actions.c:1592
 ovs_packet_cmd_execute+0xb4f/0xf10 net/openvswitch/datapath.c:705
 genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0x233/0x340 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1114
 genl_rcv_msg+0x614/0x7a0 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1209
 netlink_rcv_skb+0x226/0x4a0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2572
 genl_rcv+0x28/0x40 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1218
 netlink_unicast+0x7bd/0x940 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1361
 netlink_sendmsg+0x813/0xb40 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1916
 sock_sendmsg_nosec+0x14e/0x190 net/socket.c:800

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