---
title: "CVE-2026-98965: Linux Kernel ice - Race Condition"
description: "Linux kernel ice driver contains a race condition caused by use of writel_relaxed() instead of writel() for Tx doorbell updates on arm64, letting NIC transmit before queue accounting is visible, causing kernel BUG, exploit requires sustained network load on affected hardware."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-98965/
---

# CVE-2026-98965 Linux Kernel ice - Race Condition

Linux kernel ice driver contains a race condition caused by use of writel\_relaxed() instead of writel() for Tx doorbell updates on arm64, letting NIC transmit before queue accounting is visible, causing kernel BUG, exploit requires sustained network load on affected hardware.

CVSS base score 7.5 /10

High

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

Authentication

Not required

EPSS

0.21% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98965)

## Details

Type

Race Condition

Impact

Denial Of Service

CVSS vector

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

Published

23 October 2026

Updated

25 October 2026

## Vendor fix

Update to the latest Linux kernel version containing the fix restoring writel() for Tx doorbell updates.

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-2026-98965](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98965)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7a579dec8423bba7bec96fcfcb2e30838b0858ee](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7a579dec8423bba7bec96fcfcb2e30838b0858ee)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7725acf9c574debb97ae1613569ac9e148438be](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7725acf9c574debb97ae1613569ac9e148438be)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f94ab1fffd009250d72c6dc1662cb84467ac5365](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f94ab1fffd009250d72c6dc1662cb84467ac5365)

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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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