CVE-2026-23300
MediumIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ipv6: fix panic when IPv4 route references loopback IPv6 nexthop When a standalone IPv6 nexthop object is created with a loopback device (e.g., "ip -6 nexthop add id 100 dev lo"), fib6_nh_init() misclassifies it as a reject route. This is because nexthop objects have no destination prefix (fc_dst=::), causing fib6_is_reject() to match any loopback nexthop. The reject path skips fib_nh_common_init(), leaving nhc_pcpu_rth_output unallocated. If an IPv4 route later references this nexthop, __mkroute_output() dereferences NULL nhc_pcpu_rth_output and panics. Simplify the check in fib6_nh_init() to only match explicit reject routes (RTF_REJECT) instead of using fib6_is_reject(). The loopback promotion heuristic in fib6_is_reject() is handled separately by ip6_route_info_create_nh(). After this change, the three cases behave as follows: 1. Explicit reject route ("ip -6 route add unreachable 2001:db8::/64"): RTF_REJECT is set, enters reject path, skips fib_nh_common_init(). No behavior change. 2. Implicit loopback reject route ("ip -6 route add 2001:db8::/32 dev lo"): RTF_REJECT is not set, takes normal path, fib_nh_common_init() is called. ip6_route_info_create_nh() still promotes it to reject afterward. nhc_pcpu_rth_output is allocated but unused, which is harmless. 3. Standalone nexthop object ("ip -6 nexthop add id 100 dev lo"): RTF_REJECT is not set, takes normal path, fib_nh_common_init() is called. nhc_pcpu_rth_output is properly allocated, fixing the crash when IPv4 routes reference this nexthop.
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-2026-23300 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
5.3
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-2026-23300 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/21ec92774d1536f71bdc90b0e3d052eff99cf093
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/607e68c1b7c5a30c795571be1906d716e989a644
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8650db85b4259d2885d2a80fbc2317ce24194133
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-23300?
CVE-2026-23300 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 5.3 onward and has been patched in 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.167 and others. CVE-2026-23300 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-2026-23300?
CVE-2026-23300 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-2026-23300?
Yes — CVE-2026-23300 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.167 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 5.3 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-23300 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2026-23300 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 →