Cyber ·
oss-sec advisory: init_on_free=1 does not mitigate CVE-2026-98432 in the Linux kernel
A reply posted to the oss-sec list on November 2, 2026 states that the init_on_free=1 option has no meaningful effect against CVE-2026-98432, and briefly explains why zeroing freed memory does not stop the attack path.
The source is a public reply on the oss-sec mailing list, machine-translated and cut off before its conclusion. A member of the CIQ kernel team states that the boot option init_on_free=1 does not meaningfully mitigate CVE-2026-98432. According to the message, the remote KASLR break uses pointers leaked from active slab objects through an out-of-bounds read, and the previous contents of a freed object are not useful to an attacker. So zeroing memory on free does not block this path. The message also says an AI tool was used to analyze the code and the exploit description, but the text ends before any result. Relevance: teams should not treat this boot parameter as an interim fix. To verify, compare with the official CVE record and your distribution's vendor advisories, and confirm the patched kernel version. To consult the original, use the public oss-sec list archive referenced in the text. Rota Nacional does not patch kernels or detect this vulnerability.
Original source: Re: CVE-2026-98432: init_on_free=1 como mitigação provisória adicional