CVE-2026-68461
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel. When a firmware node is allocated and initialized using fwnode_init(), a pointer within the fwnode_handle structure may contain uninitialized memory. This can occur if a non-zeroing allocation function is used. If this uninitialized pointer is subsequently dereferenced, it could lead to system instability or a denial of service (DoS).
Statement
This vulnerability is rated as having Moderate impact because exploitation is constrained to local environments and results in a kernel crash without directly compromising system confidentiality or integrity. In standard Red Hat Enterprise Linux deployments, an attacker requires local access to trigger operations that allocate uninitialized firmware node structures. Because the defect leads to an invalid pointer dereference within kernel device management rather than arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation, the primary risk is limited to a local denial of service.
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 | 5.5 | N/A | 7.8 |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | Local |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | None | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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