CVE-2026-64542
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv6: ndisc: fix NULL deref in accept_untracked_na() accept_untracked_na() re-fetches the inet6_dev with __in6_dev_get(dev) and dereferences idev->cnf.accept_untracked_na without a NULL check, even though its only caller ndisc_recv_na() already fetched and NULL-checked idev for the same device. Both reads of dev->ip6_ptr run in the same RCU read-side critical section, but a concurrent addrconf_ifdown() can clear dev->ip6_ptr between them: lowering the MTU below IPV6_MIN_MTU calls addrconf_ifdown() without the synchronize_net() that orders the unregister path, so the re-fetch returns NULL and oopses: BUG: KASAN: null-ptr-deref in ndisc_recv_na (net/ipv6/ndisc.c:974) Read of size 4 at addr 0000000000000364 Call Trace: <IRQ> ndisc_recv_na (net/ipv6/ndisc.c:974) icmpv6_rcv (net/ipv6/icmp.c:1193) ip6_protocol_deliver_rcu (net/ipv6/ip6_input.c:479) ip6_input_finish (net/ipv6/ip6_input.c:534) ip6_input (net/ipv6/ip6_input.c:545) ip6_mc_input (net/ipv6/ip6_input.c:635) ipv6_rcv (net/ipv6/ip6_input.c:351) </IRQ> It is reachable by an unprivileged user via a network namespace. Pass the caller's already validated idev instead of re-fetching it; the idev stays alive for the whole RCU critical section, so it is safe even after dev->ip6_ptr has been cleared.
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
6.0
and later are affected. Fixed in
6.12.97,
6.18.40,
7.1.5,
7.2-rc1
and their respective stable series.
References
4 totalFrequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-64542?
CVE-2026-64542 is a unscored severity Linux kernel vulnerability . It affects Linux kernel versions from 6.0 onward and has been patched in 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5 and others. CVE-2026-64542 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
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Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-64542?
Yes. CVE-2026-64542 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 6.0 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-64542 actively exploited?
No. CVE-2026-64542 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.