CVE-2026-45874
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel, within the phy: freescale: imx8qm-hsio component. This vulnerability occurs when a specific pointer, refclk_pad, is not properly initialized and is later used without validation. This can lead to a NULL pointer dereference, which may cause the system to crash. Such a crash results in a Denial of Service (DoS), making the affected system unavailable.
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
NULL pointer dereferences usually result in the failure of the process unless exception handling (on some platforms) is available and implemented. Even when exception handling is being used, it can still be very difficult to return the software to a safe state of operation.
Integrity,Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Read Memory; Modify Memory
In rare circumstances, when NULL is equivalent to the 0x0 memory address and privileged code can access it, then writing or reading memory is possible, which may lead to code execution.
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