CVE-2026-68334
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's rxrpc component. A race condition in the rxrpc_wake_up_io_thread() function could lead to a null pointer dereference. This occurs when the io_thread pointer is checked and then reloaded, and if the I/O thread exits between these operations, the second load can result in a null value. This vulnerability could cause a system crash, leading to a Denial of Service (DoS).
Statement
This vulnerability has been assessed as Moderate impact. The race condition in rxrpc_wake_up_io_thread() was introduced in upstream kernel version 6.16.0. Red Hat Enterprise Linux is not affected, as the newest RHEL kernel (6.12.x in RHEL 10) predates the introduction of the vulnerable code.
Mitigation
Update to a kernel version containing the fix (6.18.42+ or 7.1.6+).
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 5.9 | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | N/A |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | N/A |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | N/A |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | None | N/A | N/A |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity,Other
Technical Impact: Alter Execution Logic; Unexpected State
The main problem is that -- if a lock is overcome -- data could be altered in a bad state.
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