Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2026-23438)
Summary
Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2026-23438). Risk of unauthorized operations or information disclosure.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net: mvpp2: guard flow control update with global_tx_fc in buffer switching
mvpp2_bm_switch_buffers() unconditionally calls
mvpp2_bm_pool_update_priv_fc() when switching between per-cpu and
shared buffer pool modes. This function programs CM3 flow control
registers via mvpp2_cm3_read()/mvpp2_cm3_write(), which dereference
priv->cm3_base without any NULL check.
When the CM3 SRAM resource is not present in the device tree (the
third reg entry added by commit 60523583b07c ("dts: marvell: add CM3
SRAM memory to cp11x ethernet device tree")), priv->cm3_base remains
NULL and priv->global_tx_fc is false. Any operation that triggers
mvpp2_bm_switch_buffers(), for example an MTU change that crosses
the jumbo frame threshold, will crash:
Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at
virtual address 0000000000000000
Mem abort info:
ESR = 0x0000000096000006
EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits
pc : readl+0x0/0x18
lr : mvpp2_cm3_read.isra.0+0x14/0x20
Call trace:
readl+0x0/0x18
mvpp2_bm_pool_update_fc+0x40/0x12c
mvpp2_bm_pool_update_priv_fc+0x94/0xd8
mvpp2_bm_switch_buffers.isra.0+0x80/0x1c0
mvpp2_change_mtu+0x140/0x380
__dev_set_mtu+0x1c/0x38
dev_set_mtu_ext+0x78/0x118
dev_set_mtu+0x48/0xa8
dev_ifsioc+0x21c/0x43c
dev_ioctl+0x2d8/0x42c
sock_ioctl+0x314/0x378
Every other flow control call site in the driver already guards
hardware access with either priv-…
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD GitHub Advisory
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-23438 has been found in Linux kernel.
Risk of unauthorized operations or information disclosure. CVSS score: 5.5/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "Linux kernel CVE-2026-23438" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2026-23438 (Linux kernel) — CWE-476 / CVSS v3 5.5
Attack vector: local / no user interaction
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
A vulnerability (CWE-476) exists in Linux kernel.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of Linux kernel.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 5.5/10). Risk of unauthorized operations or information disclosure.
Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Audit SBOM/dependencies to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
Audit SBOM/dependencies for affected components.資産台帳・SBOM・依存マニフェストで Linux kernel を使っているサービスとバージョンを洗い出す。
-
2Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Affected packages
Fix status by distribution
Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE
- BellSoft Alpaquita BELL-CVE-2026-23438 linux-lts Fixed in: 6.1.167-r0
- Debian DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23438 linux Fixed in: 6.1.170-1
- Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2026-23438 linux-hwe-edge
References
- advisory nvd.nist.gov
- advisory github.com
- package git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web cert-portal.siemens.com
- web cert-portal.siemens.com
- web github.com
- web cert-portal.siemens.com