CVE-2026-23286
MediumIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: atm: lec: fix null-ptr-deref in lec_arp_clear_vccs syzkaller reported a null-ptr-deref in lec_arp_clear_vccs(). This issue can be easily reproduced using the syzkaller reproducer. In the ATM LANE (LAN Emulation) module, the same atm_vcc can be shared by multiple lec_arp_table entries (e.g., via entry->vcc or entry->recv_vcc). When the underlying VCC is closed, lec_vcc_close() iterates over all ARP entries and calls lec_arp_clear_vccs() for each matched entry. For example, when lec_vcc_close() iterates through the hlists in priv->lec_arp_empty_ones or other ARP tables: 1. In the first iteration, for the first matched ARP entry sharing the VCC, lec_arp_clear_vccs() frees the associated vpriv (which is vcc->user_back) and sets vcc->user_back to NULL. 2. In the second iteration, for the next matched ARP entry sharing the same VCC, lec_arp_clear_vccs() is called again. It obtains a NULL vpriv from vcc->user_back (via LEC_VCC_PRIV(vcc)) and then attempts to dereference it via `vcc->pop = vpriv->old_pop`, leading to a null-ptr-deref crash. Fix this by adding a null check for vpriv before dereferencing it. If vpriv is already NULL, it means the VCC has been cleared by a previous call, so we can safely skip the cleanup and just clear the entry's vcc/recv_vcc pointers. The entire cleanup block (including vcc_release_async()) is placed inside the vpriv guard because a NULL vpriv indicates the VCC has already been fully released by a prior iteration — repeating the teardown would redundantly set flags and trigger callbacks on an already-closing socket. The Fixes tag points to the initial commit because the entry->vcc path has been vulnerable since the original code. The entry->recv_vcc path was later added by commit 8d9f73c0ad2f ("atm: fix a memory leak of vcc->user_back") with the same pattern, and both paths are fixed here.
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-2026-23286 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
2.6.12
and later are affected. Fixed in
5.10.253,
5.15.203,
6.1.167,
6.6.130,
6.12.77,
6.18.17,
6.19.7,
7.0
and their respective stable series.
References
The following references provide additional information about CVE-2026-23286 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/101bacb303e89dc2e0640ae6a5e0fb97c4eb45bb
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2d9f57ea29a1f1772373b98a509b44d49fda609e
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/30c9744a989feb22cfbb84170eb0e038a7a2c1da
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-23286?
CVE-2026-23286 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 2.6.12 onward and has been patched in 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.167 and others. CVE-2026-23286 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-2026-23286?
CVE-2026-23286 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-2026-23286?
Yes — CVE-2026-23286 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.167 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 2.6.12 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-23286 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2026-23286 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 →