Null pointer dereference in sssd lets remote attackers crash service
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Deferred Red Hat: fix deferred
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-476.
Summary
sssd is affected in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5. The service does not check that a certificate contains the expected Security Identifier (SID) extension before using it, which causes a null pointer dereference (CWE-476). A remote attacker without credentials can crash sssd by submitting such a certificate during authentication or lookup when certificate mapping rules rely on SID.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
A flaw was found in sssd. A remote attacker can cause a denial of service (DoS) by submitting a certificate that lacks an expected Security Identifier (SID) extension. In deployments configured with SID-based certificate mapping rules, the service fails to verify the presence of the extension before processing it, causing the process to crash during authentication or lookup operations.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- No
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
| Red Hat | Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | — | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 VendorRed Hat Affected — Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE names CNA · 7
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:10 | 10 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:6 | 6 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:7 | 7 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:8 | 8 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:9 | 9 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:4 | 4 | — | Red Hat |
| cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:5 | 5 | — | Red Hat |
- cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:10 Versions 10 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:6 Versions 6 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/o:redhat:rhel_els:7 Versions 7 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:8 Versions 8 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:9 Versions 9 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:4 Versions 4 — ·Red Hat
- cpe:/a:redhat:openshift:5 Versions 5 — ·Red Hat
Remediation
The sources list no fixed version for sssd. Red Hat's plan is no fix planned for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and none available for the other affected products.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
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 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| 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 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Timeline
- 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-104038
- 2026-10-06 Alias added: GHSA-qr5w-232p-j88j
- 2026-10-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-06 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-07 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
- 2026-10-07 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-07 Priority changed: LOW → MEDIUM
- 2026-11-05 Affected versions changed · CNA
- 2026-11-05 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
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Sources
- CVE-2026-104038 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-104038 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-qr5w-232p-j88j · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-104038 · 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