NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel - CVE-2026-23020
Published: February 2, 2026
Vulnerability identifier: #VU122212
CSH Severity: Low
CVSS v4: 6.8 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N]
CVE-ID: CVE-2026-23020
CWE-ID: CWE-476
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability:
No public exploit available
Vulnerability details
The vulnerability allows a local user to perform a denial of service (DoS) attack.
The vulnerability exists due to NULL pointer dereference within the vortex_probe1() function in drivers/net/ethernet/3com/3c59x.c. A local user can perform a denial of service (DoS) attack.
Affected software
Linux kernel
Debian Linux
Ubuntu
linux-aws-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux (Ubuntu package)
linux-aws-5.15 (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-tegra-igx (Ubuntu package)
linux-intel-iot-realtime (Ubuntu package)
linux-raspi (Ubuntu package)
linux-realtime (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-5.15 (Ubuntu package)
linux (Debian package)
linux-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-tegra (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-fde-6.17 (Ubuntu package)
linux-gcp-6.17 (Ubuntu package)
linux-oracle-6.17 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-6.17 (Ubuntu package)
linux-oem-6.17 (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-6.17 (Ubuntu package)
Debian Linux
Ubuntu
linux-aws-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux (Ubuntu package)
linux-aws-5.15 (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-tegra-igx (Ubuntu package)
linux-intel-iot-realtime (Ubuntu package)
linux-raspi (Ubuntu package)
linux-realtime (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-5.15 (Ubuntu package)
linux (Debian package)
linux-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-tegra (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-fde-6.17 (Ubuntu package)
linux-gcp-6.17 (Ubuntu package)
linux-oracle-6.17 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-6.17 (Ubuntu package)
linux-oem-6.17 (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-6.17 (Ubuntu package)
How to mitigate CVE-2026-23020
Install update from vendor's repository.
linux-aws-fips (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.173.100, 5.15.0-173.183+fips1, 5.15.0.1103.93, 5.15.0.1103.99, 5.15.0-1103.110+fips1, 5.15.0-1103.112+fips1
linux (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.173.146, 5.15.0.173.161, 5.15.0-173.183, 5.15.0-1055.55, 5.15.0-1055.55~20.04.1, 5.15.0.1067.70, 5.15.0-1067.71, 5.15.0.1086.85, 5.15.0-1086.94, 5.15.0.1095.91, 5.15.0-1095.100, 5.15.0.1097.93, 5.15.0.1097.100, 5.15.0-1097.100~20.04.1, 5.15.0.1098.98, 5.15.0-1098.99, 5.15.0-1098.104, 5.15.0.1100.96, 5.15.0-1100.106, 5.15.0.1103.99, 5.15.0.1103.106, 5.15.0-1103.110, 5.15.0-1103.112~20.04.1, 6.8.0-117.117, 6.8.0-117.117.1, 6.8.0-117.117.1~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1041.44, 6.8.0-1054.60, 6.8.0-1055.56, 6.8.0-1055.56~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1055.58+fips1, 6.8.0-1056.60, 6.8.0-1058.61, 6.8.0-1058.61+fips1, 6.8.0-2045.46, 6.8.1-1051.52, 6.8.1-1051.52~22.04.1
linux-aws-5.15 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-173.183~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1098.104~20.04.1, 5.15.0.1099.98, 5.15.0-1099.105, 5.15.0-1100.106~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1103.110~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1103.112~20.04.1
linux-nvidia-tegra-igx (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1044.44, 5.15.0.1044.46
linux-intel-iot-realtime (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1094.96, 5.15.0.1094.98
linux-raspi (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1097.95, 5.15.0-1097.100
linux-realtime (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1102.106, 5.15.0-1102.111
linux-azure-fips (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1109.94, 5.15.0-1109.118+fips1
linux-azure (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1109.107, 5.15.0-1109.118, 6.8.0-1056.62
linux-azure-5.15 (Ubuntu package) - update to 5.15.0-1110.119~20.04.1
linux (Debian package) - addressed in versions 6.1.162-1, 6.12.69-1
linux-fips (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-116.116+fips1
linux-nvidia-tegra (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1024.24
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1054.57, 6.8.0-1054.57.1
linux-nvidia-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1054.57~22.04.1
linux-azure-fde-6.17 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.17.0-1018.18~24.04.1
linux-gcp-6.17 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.17.0-1018.20~24.04.1, 6.17.0-1021.24~24.04.1
linux-oracle-6.17 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.17.0-1019.19~24.04.3, 6.17.0-1019.19~24.04.3+1
linux-azure-6.17 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.17.0-1021.21~24.04.1
linux-oem-6.17 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.17.0-1030.30
linux-nvidia-6.17 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.17.0-1031.31
linux (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.173.146, 5.15.0.173.161, 5.15.0-173.183, 5.15.0-1055.55, 5.15.0-1055.55~20.04.1, 5.15.0.1067.70, 5.15.0-1067.71, 5.15.0.1086.85, 5.15.0-1086.94, 5.15.0.1095.91, 5.15.0-1095.100, 5.15.0.1097.93, 5.15.0.1097.100, 5.15.0-1097.100~20.04.1, 5.15.0.1098.98, 5.15.0-1098.99, 5.15.0-1098.104, 5.15.0.1100.96, 5.15.0-1100.106, 5.15.0.1103.99, 5.15.0.1103.106, 5.15.0-1103.110, 5.15.0-1103.112~20.04.1, 6.8.0-117.117, 6.8.0-117.117.1, 6.8.0-117.117.1~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1041.44, 6.8.0-1054.60, 6.8.0-1055.56, 6.8.0-1055.56~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1055.58+fips1, 6.8.0-1056.60, 6.8.0-1058.61, 6.8.0-1058.61+fips1, 6.8.0-2045.46, 6.8.1-1051.52, 6.8.1-1051.52~22.04.1
linux-aws-5.15 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-173.183~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1098.104~20.04.1, 5.15.0.1099.98, 5.15.0-1099.105, 5.15.0-1100.106~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1103.110~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1103.112~20.04.1
linux-nvidia-tegra-igx (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1044.44, 5.15.0.1044.46
linux-intel-iot-realtime (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1094.96, 5.15.0.1094.98
linux-raspi (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1097.95, 5.15.0-1097.100
linux-realtime (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1102.106, 5.15.0-1102.111
linux-azure-fips (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1109.94, 5.15.0-1109.118+fips1
linux-azure (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1109.107, 5.15.0-1109.118, 6.8.0-1056.62
linux-azure-5.15 (Ubuntu package) - update to 5.15.0-1110.119~20.04.1
linux (Debian package) - addressed in versions 6.1.162-1, 6.12.69-1
linux-fips (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-116.116+fips1
linux-nvidia-tegra (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1024.24
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1054.57, 6.8.0-1054.57.1
linux-nvidia-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1054.57~22.04.1
linux-azure-fde-6.17 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.17.0-1018.18~24.04.1
linux-gcp-6.17 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.17.0-1018.20~24.04.1, 6.17.0-1021.24~24.04.1
linux-oracle-6.17 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.17.0-1019.19~24.04.3, 6.17.0-1019.19~24.04.3+1
linux-azure-6.17 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.17.0-1021.21~24.04.1
linux-oem-6.17 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.17.0-1030.30
linux-nvidia-6.17 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.17.0-1031.31
External References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/053ac9e37eee435e999277c0f1ef890dad6064bf
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/28b2a805609699be7b90020ae7dccfb234be1ceb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2f05f7737e16d9a40038cc1c38a96a3f7964898b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/606872c8e8bf96066730f6a2317502c5633c37f1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6cff14b831dbdb32675b4c7904dcc3eeeaf47e9d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a4e305ed60f7c41bbf9aabc16dd75267194e0de3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d82796a57cc0dac1dbef19d913c8f02a8cc7b1a7
Related Security Bulletins
- NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel ethernet 3com driver
- Debian update for linux
- Debian update for linux
- Ubuntu update for linux
- Ubuntu update for linux-aws-fips
- Ubuntu update for linux-realtime
- Ubuntu update for linux-aws-5.15
- Ubuntu update for linux-nvidia-tegra-igx
- Ubuntu update for linux-intel-iot-realtime
- Ubuntu update for linux-raspi
- Ubuntu update for linux-azure-fips
- Ubuntu update for linux-azure
- Ubuntu update for linux-azure-5.15
- Ubuntu update for linux
- Ubuntu update for linux-nvidia
- Ubuntu update for linux-fips
- Ubuntu update for linux-nvidia-tegra
- Ubuntu update for linux-nvidia-6.8
- Ubuntu update for linux-azure
- Ubuntu update for linux-gcp-6.17
- Ubuntu update for linux-oem-6.17
- Ubuntu update for linux-azure-fde-6.17
- Ubuntu update for linux-azure-6.17
- Ubuntu update for linux-oracle-6.17
- Ubuntu update for linux-nvidia-6.17