---
title: "CVE-2026-98252: Linux Kernel - Race Condition"
description: "Linux kernel contains a reference count bug in iwpm_get_nlmsg_request() caused by improper initialization order of refcount and list_add_tail(), letting concurrent CPUs cause refcount addition on zero, exploit requires concurrent access to global list."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-98252/
---

# CVE-2026-98252 Linux Kernel - Race Condition

Linux kernel contains a reference count bug in iwpm\_get\_nlmsg\_request() caused by improper initialization order of refcount and list\_add\_tail(), letting concurrent CPUs cause refcount addition on zero, exploit requires concurrent access to global list.

CVSS base score 7.0 /10

High

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

EPSS

0.12% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98252)

## Details

Type

Race Condition

Impact

Denial Of Service

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Published

6 October 2026

Updated

15 October 2026

## Vendor fix

Update to the latest Linux kernel version with the fix applied.

Patching closes this CVE. It does not tell you which of your systems run the affected version, or what else is exposed alongside them.

## References

- [https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98252](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98252)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/117871cdb8927542abd7b65ce5995bf0265a8c05](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/117871cdb8927542abd7b65ce5995bf0265a8c05)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2fbac8a56004b6ce54fbfe845d4b25da6e0b55e8](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2fbac8a56004b6ce54fbfe845d4b25da6e0b55e8)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/33fb59da49c4c3f5c2ec9f9d4447a56857a02c02](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/33fb59da49c4c3f5c2ec9f9d4447a56857a02c02)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/52c13c63bb3662c108244e7447055e30bf40244e](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/52c13c63bb3662c108244e7447055e30bf40244e)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/88e429a4e9bac3d2138011c5ca06254331f2587f](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/88e429a4e9bac3d2138011c5ca06254331f2587f)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a91609032d47e77bcb37bc8f6e88d89340d2709](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a91609032d47e77bcb37bc8f6e88d89340d2709)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ce8a379598bd4058081416abea4279fd05a95374](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ce8a379598bd4058081416abea4279fd05a95374)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e15eb536be4f646ce683d2867572b2200be877f7](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e15eb536be4f646ce683d2867572b2200be877f7)

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## What this record can't tell you

- Whether you run the affected software, and where
- Whether an attacker can actually reach and exploit it
- The misconfigurations that never get a CVE number
- What it would cost the business, ranked into what to fix first

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