Linux kernel TPM keeps running after null key name mismatch
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 1 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel tpm driver from 6.11.7 before 6.12, from 6.11.10 before 6.12, and from 6.12 is affected. When the null key name check finds a mismatch, the driver logs an error but returns success and leaves the chip enabled, so it keeps serving commands. The caller then proceeds with an uninitialized stack value as the key handle.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tpm: Disable TPM on null key name mismatch The null key name check exists to protect against TPM reset attacks, so a mismatch should stop the device from serving further requests. Currently it does not disable the chip when it finds a mismatch. The mismatch is logged: tpm tpm0: null key integrity check failed but the chip keeps serving commands: / # tpm2_getcap -c properties-fixed TPM_PT_FAMILY_INDICATOR: as UINT32: 0x08322e3000 as string: "2.0" ... tpm2_load_null() where the null key name check is run sets the chip as disabled only if the rc is non zero. When the mismatch is seen, rc is zero at that point and it returns success. The other issue is that the caller expects the null key handle to be populated when the function returns 0 which it does here without writing the handle and proceeds assuming the null key handle is valid. During the test, I noticed that tpm2_start_auth_session() uses the uninitialized stack value as the key handle since tpm2_load_null() returns 0 despite the integrity failure and proceeds with TPM2_CC_START_AUTH_SESS with this value as salt key handle. Set rc to -ENODEV on the mismatch. The error path then disables the chip and returns the correct code to the caller. Tested in QEMU with swtpm and CONFIG_TCG_TPM2_HMAC=y by making TPM2_CC_CONTEXT_LOAD fail with TPM2_RC_INTEGRITY and changing the name of the re-created null key. The chip is now disabled on the mismatch.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Linux kernel 6.12 fixes the 6.11.7 and 6.11.10 ranges, and kernel versions 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10 and 7.3 fix the 6.12 range. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 is affected with no fix available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10, 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: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 6 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98845
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-g3p5-hgwr-rqx7
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-24 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-24 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98845 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98845 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-g3p5-hgwr-rqx7 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98845 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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