What is CVE-2026-64228?

CVE-2026-64228 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), affecting Linux kernel versions from 6.16 onward and patched in 6.18.34, 7.0.11 and 7.1. CVE-2026-64228 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2026-64228?

CVE-2026-64228 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity. 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-2026-64228?

Yes, CVE-2026-64228 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.18.34, 7.0.11 and 7.1. If you are running Linux kernel 6.16 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

Is CVE-2026-64228 actively exploited?

CVE-2026-64228 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

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. See MITRE CWE for full details: https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/476.html

CVE-2026-64228

Medium

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ethtool: phy: avoid NULL deref when PHY driver is unbound phydev->drv can become NULL while the phy_device is still attached to its net_device, namely after the PHY driver is unbound via sysfs: echo <mdio_id> > /sys/bus/mdio_bus/drivers/<phy_drv>/unbind phy_remove() clears phydev->drv but doesn't call phy_detach(), so the phy_device stays in the link topology xarray and ethnl_req_get_phydev() still hands it back. ETHTOOL_MSG_PHY_GET then oopses on: rep_data->drvname = kstrdup(phydev->drv->name, GFP_KERNEL); drvname is already treated as optional by phy_reply_size(), phy_fill_reply() and phy_cleanup_data(), so just skip the allocation when there is no driver bound.

Package Linux Kernel

Published 2026-07-24

Last modified 2026-08-13

CVSS version 3.1

Patch available

Yes

CVSS 3.1 score

5.5

out of 10

Medium

Attack Vector

Local

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

Low

User Interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

Low

Integrity

None

Availability

High

Vector string

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness type

CWE-476

CVE-2026-64228 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 6.16 and later are affected. Fixed in 6.18.34, 7.0.11, 7.1 and their respective stable series.

Affected from

≥ 6.16

Fixed in

✓ 6.18.34 6.18.x ✓ 7.0.11 7.0.x ✓ 7.1

References

3 total

Kernel Git
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/17fe2381f967d353183f374a1c0181a6d194158c

Patch Mitigation
Kernel Git
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3586924625559e6f9876d726c80ff0a75f0d5849

Patch
Kernel Git
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3adf69f8eb121a9128c2b0029efd050d3649153

Patch

Details

CVE ID CVE-2026-64228

Severity Medium

CVSS score 5.5 / 10

CVSS version 3.1

Published 2026-07-24

Modified 2026-08-13

KEV No

Patch

Yes

Package linux

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-64228?

CVE-2026-64228 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 6.16 onward and has been patched in 6.18.34, 7.0.11 and 7.1. CVE-2026-64228 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
What is the CVSS score for CVE-2026-64228?

CVE-2026-64228 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-2026-64228?

Yes. CVE-2026-64228 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.18.34, 7.0.11 and 7.1. If you are running Linux kernel 6.16 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
Is CVE-2026-64228 actively exploited?

No. CVE-2026-64228 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.