RDS Fastpath Lock Vulnerability in Linux Kernel Affecting Multiple Releases

CVE-2026-98069

What is CVE-2026-98069?

The RDS (Reliable Datagram Sockets) implementation in the Linux kernel contains a vulnerability that arises during the connection shutdown process. Specifically, the method responsible for shutting down the connection may inadvertently allow concurrent execution of the transmit and receive paths due to insufficient locking mechanisms. When the connection is terminated, the system is designed to quiesce both transmit and reception activities by clearing specific bits. However, these bits can be reacquired during the shutdown process, leading to a potential race condition that compromises network stability. The recent fix ensures that both aspects of the connection teardown properly acquire necessary locks, maintaining order and preventing conflicting access during critical operations.

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