CVE-2026-23060
MediumIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: authencesn - reject too-short AAD (assoclen<8) to match ESP/ESN spec authencesn assumes an ESP/ESN-formatted AAD. When assoclen is shorter than the minimum expected length, crypto_authenc_esn_decrypt() can advance past the end of the destination scatterlist and trigger a NULL pointer dereference in scatterwalk_map_and_copy(), leading to a kernel panic (DoS). Add a minimum AAD length check to fail fast on invalid inputs.
CVSS 3.1 score
5.5
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness type
CWE-476CVE-2026-23060 is a NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability
What is NULL Pointer Dereference?
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. Learn more on MITRE CWE
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
4.3
and later are affected. Fixed in
5.10.249,
5.15.199,
6.1.162,
6.6.122,
6.12.68,
6.18.8,
6.19
and their respective stable series.
References
The following references provide additional information about CVE-2026-23060 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/161bdc90fce25bd9890adc67fa1c8563a7acbf40
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2397e9264676be7794f8f7f1e9763d90bd3c7335
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/767e8349f7e929b7dd95c08f0b4cb353459b365e
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-23060?
CVE-2026-23060 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 , classified as a NULL Pointer Dereference flaw (CWE-476) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 4.3 onward and has been patched in 5.10.249, 5.15.199, 6.1.162 and others. CVE-2026-23060 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
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What is the CVSS score for CVE-2026-23060?
CVE-2026-23060 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. -
Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-23060?
Yes — CVE-2026-23060 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.10.249, 5.15.199, 6.1.162 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 4.3 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-23060 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2026-23060 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.
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What is NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476)?
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. View CWE-476 on MITRE CWE →