Vulnerability · CVE-2026-98472
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: SEV: Free have_run_cpus during VM destruction even if VM is no longer SEV Unconditionally free…
Published Oct 18, 2026 · catalog updated Oct 18, 2026 · the affected product
Open the advisory
Exploitation likelihood is not on this record for CVE-2026-98472. A missing EPSS score is not a low risk. Compare the affected product with the linked advisory before you change production.
Gaps on this record
- No plain product name is stored. The page cannot tell you which product to check.
- No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
- No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
- EPSS is missing. A missing score is not a low risk.
- Severity
- Unknown—
- Known exploitation
- Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
- EPSS
- Awaiting synchronization with FIRST
- Remediation
- Not established
- Affected products
- See sources for product scope
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: SEV: Free have_run_cpus during VM destruction even if VM is no longer SEV Unconditionally free SEV's "have run CPUs" cpumask in the VM destroy path, i.e. even for what appear to be non-SEV VMs, as an SEV VM becomes a non-SEV VM if its state is intra-host migrated. Alternatively, the mask could be freed in sev_migrate_from() when "converting" the source VM, but that gets annoying because ideally KVM would nullify the mask to guard against UAF, and nullifying the mask would need be conditioned on CPUMASK_OFFSTACK=y. Freeing the mask during sev_migrate_from() is also not robust against other KVM bugs, though that's kind of a moot point since any such bugs would show up even if sev->active is never set. I.e. KVM must get that side of things correct. But, that's not a great reason to add more code just to make things marginally less robust.
No affected version ranges are stored yet. Use the vendor advisory before you decide this record does not apply.
How to fix CVE-2026-98472
Recommended remediation
No required-action text, fix commit, or clear fixed-version range is stored yet.
Official advisories
What to do
Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.
Should you patch?
Exploitation likelihood is not on this record for CVE-2026-98472. A missing EPSS score is not a low risk. Compare the affected product with the linked advisory before you change production.
Which versions are affected?
Affected version ranges are not on this record. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.
What should an analyst verify?
No weakness class is stored. EPSS is not on this record yet. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.
Code
The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.
Timeline
Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.
Oct 18, 2026 · NIST NVD
Detected
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: SEV: Free have_run_cpus during VM destruction even if VM is no longer SEV Unconditionally free SEV's "have run CPUs" cpumask in the VM destroy path, i.e. even for what appear to be non-SEV VMs, as an SEV VM becomes a non-SEV VM if its state is intra-host migrated. Alternatively, the mask could be freed in sev_migrate_from() w
Sources
- NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2026-98472
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KVM: SEV: Free have_run_cpus during VM destruction even if VM is no longer SEV Unconditionally free SEV's "have run CPUs" cpumask in the VM destroy path, i.e. even for what appear to be non-SEV VMs, as an SEV V
nvd.nist.gov
References
Freshness
Last verified in this catalog Oct 18, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.