slip: bound decode() reads against the compressed packet length
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · Low · None
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: slip: bound decode() reads against the compressed packet length slhc_uncompress() parses a VJ-compressed TCP header by advancing a pointer through the packet via decode() and pull16(). Neither helper bounds-checks against isize, and decode() masks its return with & 0xffff so it can never return the -1 that callers test for -- those error paths are dead code. A short compressed frame whose change byte requests optional fields lets decode() read past the end of the packet. The over-read bytes are folded into the cached cstate and reflected into subsequent reconstructed packets. Make decode() and pull16() take the packet end pointer and return -1 when exhausted. Add a bounds check before the TCP-checksum read. The existing == -1 tests now do what they were always meant to.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.12 and later | 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.141, 6.12.91, 6.18.33, 7.0.10, 7.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.12 and later Fixed in 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.141, 6.12.91, 6.18.33, 7.0.10, 7.1 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 6
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.12.1 to before 5.10.258; 5.11 to before 5.15.209; 5.16 to before 6.1.175; 6.2 to before 6.6.141; 6.7 to before 6.12.91; 6.13 to before 6.18.33; 6.19 to before 7.0.10 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.12:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.12 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.12:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.12 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.12:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.12 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.12:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.12 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.12:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.12 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.12.1 to before 5.10.258; 5.11 to before 5.15.209; 5.16 to before 6.1.175; 6.2 to before 6.6.141; 6.7 to before 6.12.91; 6.13 to before 6.18.33; 6.19 to before 7.0.10 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.12:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.12 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.12:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.12 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.12:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.12 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.12:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.12 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.12:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.12 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.141, 6.12.91, 6.18.33, 7.0.10, 7.1
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-45843
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-58qm-9wwf-x958
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-16 Priority changed: LOW → MEDIUM
- 2026-10-19 Weakness changed · CISA ADP
- 2026-11-03 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6268f01ae989013671b526c883e92655342c6f6f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9aafba2f49e1fcccc2018816f5836a609c925879
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/335957df4ed60f02a2ec0432fbedbf0cc7241d8b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/37537e42e6df387398bee85cb85070cc80bb1e10
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4cefe32639933d652614b0bd50f818f9af4af78f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0511ecb00e61bf28e2fec4bb41fcce385c3a3b2d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d42bec6e4f6d6d658be365539400b3314b76b2a7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4c1367a2d7aad643a6f87c6931b13cc1a25e8ca7
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- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2026-45843 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-45843 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-58qm-9wwf-x958 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-45843 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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