Null pointer dereference in Linux kernel IPv4 PMTU update path
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
- —
- 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 IPv4 path MTU update code for multipath nexthop groups is affected in the commit ranges listed, and from 6.13 onward. When a nexthop group shrinks during the update, the code accepts a path index that no longer exists and dereferences a NULL pointer. Triggering it requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in a network namespace, which a local user can obtain in a new user and network namespace where unprivileged user namespaces are permitted.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv4: stop PMTU walk when nexthop group shrinks Commit 7d3f3b4367f3 ("net: ipv4: Cache pmtu for all packet paths if multipath enabled") made __ip_rt_update_pmtu() update every path. For nexthop objects, fib_info_num_path() and fib_info_nhc() independently load nh->nh_grp. RCU protects each group's lifetime but does not make the loads observe the same group. If replacement shrinks the group after the loop accepts an index, fib_info_nhc() returns NULL and update_or_create_fnhe() dereferences it. A deterministic probe only widened the existing window between the real operations. On v7.2, an RTM_NEWNEXTHOP replacement published a one-member group after the PMTU reader accepted index 1 from a two-member group, producing: KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000000-0x0000000000000007] RIP: update_or_create_fnhe+0x45/0x15b0 Stop when the indexed path is absent. Groups are dense, so no later index exists in that snapshot. The same real-writer window completed 114,423 PMTU iterations without an oops with this check. A reproducer is available on request. Replacement requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in the network namespace. Where unprivileged user namespaces are permitted, a local user can obtain it in a new user and network namespace.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.15.179 to before 5.15.224; 6.1.129 to before 6.1.191; 6.6.79 to before 6.6.160; 6.12.16 to before 6.12.113 | 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113 | Patch available | CNA |
| Linux | Linux | 6.13 and later | 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.57, 7.2.11, 7.3 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.15.179 to before 5.15.224; 6.1.129 to before 6.1.191; 6.6.79 to before 6.6.160; 6.12.16 to before 6.12.113 Fixed in 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113 Patch available CNA
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.13 and later Fixed in 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.57, 7.2.11, 7.3 Patch available CNA
Remediation
Fixed Linux kernel versions are 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.57, 7.2.11 and 7.3. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 is affected with no fix planned.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.57, 7.2.11, 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 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
Timeline
- 2026-10-23 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-99074
- 2026-10-23 Alias added: GHSA-j9w6-p85x-r6r9
- 2026-10-26 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-26 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@82d83eec893d8ae84f280aec44c60d9fdecc62b5 +1 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 2 new references · CNA
References
Other 7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/82d83eec893d8ae84f280aec44c60d9fdecc62b5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a411df69524f91fe3adb8f9544d33e701fc9732c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7fd60d3c9a1e1b11ef5f1643bbae78d91eae2f4a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c60d17d6dd61adc761ac6f65a008fefbc54cbf87
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c6d670ac656badfd0e15355e07a13a6bdf3b69fd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f27483f9975b5065ff67054cc7eb8edac6083488
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6619e01855e65ef35723685a557e3eb106f4ecf5
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Sources
- CVE-2026-99074 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-99074 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-j9w6-p85x-r6r9 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-99074 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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