nvmet-tcp: reject unsolicited H2CData PDUs
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 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: nvmet-tcp: reject unsolicited H2CData PDUs nvmet_tcp_handle_h2c_data_pdu() accepts an H2CData PDU after only checking that its TTAG is a valid in-range command index and that the command's data buffers are mapped. It never checks that the target has actually solicited that data by sending an R2T for the command. A remote host can abuse this. It submits a write command that takes the R2T path and, before the target transmits the R2T, sends an H2CData PDU for that command's tag. The data completes the command early, and when the command then fails synchronously (e.g. a length mismatch caught by nvmet_check_transfer_len()), it is completed a second time. Each completion calls nvmet_tcp_queue_response(), so the same command is added to queue->resp_list twice while it is still linked; the second llist_add() makes the node point to itself (lentry->next == lentry). nvmet_tcp_process_resp_list() then walks that self-referential node and adds the command to resp_send_list twice. With CONFIG_DEBUG_LIST this trips the "list_add double add" check (kernel BUG); without it the loop never terminates and the nvmet_tcp workqueue wedges (soft-lockup). It is remotely triggerable and needs no authentication on an allow_any_host subsystem. Track whether an R2T has been transmitted for a command and reject an H2CData PDU that arrives before it. The flag is cleared on command reuse (nvmet_tcp_get_cmd() zeroes cmd->flags) and stays set across the multiple H2CData PDUs of a single solicited transfer.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.270, 5.15.221, 6.1.188, 6.6.157, 6.12.110, 6.18.51, 7.2.5, 7.3
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 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-89968
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-46h3-r5w2-2vqq
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-29 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/02341ee424fb2eed16b5b8a9d247492e49335c21
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cade124c06f8e738e3a0df285ed2e08953e6bfaa
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/14beef7d4f123fb458fc9844aa74a071871dcca6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9fb527103e53fd43a8e802c2eca407869c204f7a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2b71f9193e3d3a352920ba367f1a6db345249038
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cf1484d9a75de6809ef331e16f525aaa41b0e16d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1cbed7538946c99e585acefd11c9ba3a0bdbae05
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/db62b35cbca052860c519cbcabe7650708528738
More Linux vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2021-02452 Incorrect authorization in Ubuntu linux kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- 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
Sources
- CVE-2026-89968 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-89968 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-46h3-r5w2-2vqq · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-89968 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences