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bpf: Infer zext_dst based on static register liveness analysis

Type: advisorySource: Official CVE List1 source record

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Infer zext_dst based on static register liveness analysis As reported in the thread [1], the verifier's 32-bit operations zero extension logic is broken. This logic is responsible for correct semantics of 32-bit operations on s390 architecture. According to BPF semantics, operation `w1 += 1` is supposed to zero extend the upper half of the register `r1`. On s390 the JIT relies on the verifier emitting explicit zero extension before such operations. The verifier attempts to minimize the amount of zero extensions inserted by tracking whether upper halves of the 64-bit registers are ever used. Previously such tracking worked as follows: - bpf_reg_state->subreg_def field was set by do_check_insn() for each operation defining lower but not the upper halves of the register. - Whenever an operation reading the whole register was verified, the verifier checked register's subreg_def and set bpf_insn_aux_data->zext_dst flag as true via a call to mark_insn_zext() function. - After the verification was complete, a special pass bpf_opt_subreg_zext_lo32_rnd_hi32() extended 32-bit operations with bpf_insn_aux_data->zext_dst set as true by adding explicit zero extension. Note that the logic above relies on bpf_reg_state->subreg_def, which is a property of a current verifier state. Before the commit [2] two additional steps happened: - The verifier tracked upper and lower register halves' liveness as flags REG_LIVE_READ{

Announced Group revision 1
Original source ↗

CVE-2026-98869

Primary source · Revision 1

Imported from structured advisory data. Source references identify upstream records or fields; verify affected versions and your deployed configuration.

Security context

Source reference: cve:CVE-2026-98869

Linux

Source reference: /containers/cna/affected/0/product

Affected versions
Not stated in this record
Fixed versions
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Prerequisites
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Linux

Source reference: /containers/cna/affected/1/product

Affected versions
Not stated in this record
Fixed versions
Not stated in this record
Prerequisites
Not stated in this record

Structured affected-version data

Original package identities and version rules from this source.

[
  {
    "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
    "vendor": "Linux",
    "product": "Linux",
    "versions": [
      {
        "status": "affected",
        "version": "107e169799057bc6a379ddb625cbe1e51cfc7d72",
        "lessThan": "7ce090afbf725e25fff29caacce1eaf8459b1117",
        "versionType": "git"
      }
    ],
    "programFiles": [
      "include/linux/bpf_verifier.h",
      "kernel/bpf/fixups.c",
      "kernel/bpf/liveness.c",
      "kernel/bpf/verifier.c"
    ],
    "defaultStatus": "unaffected"
  },
  {
    "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
    "vendor": "Linux",
    "product": "Linux",
    "versions": [
      {
        "status": "affected",
        "version": "6.18"
      },
      {
        "status": "unaffected",
        "version": "0",
        "lessThan": "6.18",
        "versionType": "semver"
      },
      {
        "status": "unaffected",
        "version": "7.3",
        "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix",
        "lessThanOrEqual": "*"
      }
    ],
    "programFiles": [
      "include/linux/bpf_verifier.h",
      "kernel/bpf/fixups.c",
      "kernel/bpf/liveness.c",
      "kernel/bpf/verifier.c"
    ],
    "defaultStatus": "affected"
  }
]
Related CVEs
CVE-2026-98869

Source reference: /cveMetadata/cveId

Publisher severity

high

Source reference: /containers/cna/metrics

Event
#55682 · Revision 1
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Publisher date
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