CVE-2026-23044
Description
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability was found in the Linux kernel's hibernation subsystem. When crypto_alloc_acomp() fails and returns an ERR_PTR value, the cleanup code in save_compressed_image() and load_compressed_image() unconditionally calls crypto_free_acomp() without checking for the error. This causes crypto_acomp_tfm() to dereference the invalid pointer, crashing the kernel during hibernation operations.
Statement
This vulnerability can be triggered when attempting to hibernate a system where the required compression algorithm (such as LZO) is not available or not compiled into the kernel. The crash occurs during the error handling path of hibernation save or resume operations. Exploitation is limited to causing a denial of service and requires the ability to initiate hibernation.
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 | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | N/A |
| Privileges Required | Low | 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:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity,Other
Technical Impact: Varies by Context; Unexpected State; Alter Execution Logic
An attacker could utilize an ignored error condition to place the system in an unexpected state that could lead to the execution of unintended logic and could cause other unintended behavior.
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