Intersect, the member-based organization that coordinates Cardano (@Cardano) governance, has urged $ADA stake pool operators to patch and reboot their servers after the disclosure of a critic
Intersect, the member-based organization that coordinates Cardano (@Cardano) governance, has urged $ADA stake pool operators to patch and reboot their servers after the disclosure of a critical Linux kernel vulnerability. According to Intersect's guidance, operators should check the kernels on both block producers and relay servers and install their distribution's fixed kernel as soon as it is published.
No exploitation targeting Cardano has been reported. Intersect's advisory does not report attacks against the network or say how many pools run vulnerable kernels, according to KuCoin News.
The flaw is tracked as CVE-2026-98432. It carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8, rated critical, from kernel.org.It affects how the kernel handles incoming IPv4 TCP connections and can cause the kernel to access memory after it has been freed.
Red Hat's security bulletin describes the risk in more detail. A remote, unauthenticated attacker could exploit a race condition during TCP connection request processing to trigger remote code execution.Exploitation requires precise timing of network requests but does not require any privileges or user interaction.Red Hat says it is expediting the release of fixes.
Severity ratings have differed between vendors. According to security firm Ostorlab, Red Hat raised its rating to Critical, CVSS 3.1 9.8, on October 30, 2026. Earlier assessments from Red Hat had been lower, and some third-party reports still cite those scores.
Fix availability varies by Linux distribution. On October 30, Canonical's tracker showed Ubuntu fixes in progress, while AlmaLinux reported patched kernels in testing. Ostorlab noted that no fixed kernel was yet available for Ubuntu or RHEL as of November 1, 2026.
For operators who cannot patch immediately, Intersect advised disabling MPTCP and applying firewall rules as temporary steps, but a patched kernel and reboot are needed for full protection. Red Hat also cautions that its packet-filter procedure in bulletin RHSB-2026-016 reduces exposure and cannot fully prevent exploitation.
The warning matters for the Cardano network because stake pool operators run the block producer and relay servers that keep the chain running. Operators are advised to monitor their distribution's security tracker and apply the fixed kernel once it is released.
Red Hat Security Bulletin RHSB-2026-016 on CVE-2026-98432The Defiant: Intersect Urges Cardano Operators to Patch Critical Linux FlawOstorlab: Linux Kernel TCP Handshake Race RCE (CVE-2026-98432)
