Unchecked Return Value to NULL Pointer Dereference in Linux kernel - CVE-2026-23356

CSH
CYBERSECURITY HELP
Sign In REGISTER
 
Main Vulnerability Database Vulnerabilities #VU124485

Unchecked Return Value to NULL Pointer Dereference in Linux kernel - CVE-2026-23356

Published: March 25, 2026


Vulnerability identifier: #VU124485
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-2026-23356
CWE-ID: CWE-690
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability: No public exploit available

Vulnerability details

The vulnerability allows a local user to cause a denial of service.

The vulnerability exists due to improper handling of reference counting in the DRBD (Distributed Replicated Block Device) subsystem when processing I/O operations that cross activity log extent boundaries. A local user can trigger a sequence of I/O operations that result in an invalid reference count state, leading to a kernel BUG_ON condition and system crash.

The issue arises because the function drbd_al_begin_io_nonblock() may fail to acquire activity log references even when expected to succeed, yet continues execution without returning an error, resulting in inconsistent reference tracking during later I/O completion.


Affected software

Linux kernel
Debian Linux
Ubuntu
linux (Ubuntu package)
linux-aws (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-tegra (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 (Ubuntu package)
linux-intel-iot-realtime (Ubuntu package)
linux-ibm-5.15 (Ubuntu package)
linux-intel-iotg (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-5.15 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-fde (Ubuntu package)
linux (Debian package)
linux-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-hwe-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-ibm (Ubuntu package)
linux-oracle-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package)
linux-aws-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-fde-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-gcp-fips (Ubuntu package)

How to mitigate CVE-2026-23356

Install security update from vendor's repository.

Linux kernel - update to 7.0 rc3
linux (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.184.155, 5.15.0-184.194, 5.15.0-184.194~20.04.1, 5.15.0.186.166, 5.15.0-186.196, 5.15.0-186.196~20.04.1, 5.15.0.1075.78, 5.15.0-1075.79, 5.15.0.1095.94, 5.15.0-1095.103, 5.15.0.1104.100, 5.15.0-1104.109, 5.15.0.1108.107, 5.15.0-1108.114, 5.15.0.1111.115, 5.15.0-1111.120+fips1, 5.15.0.1112.102, 5.15.0.1112.109, 5.15.0-1112.122, 5.15.0-1112.122+fips1, 6.8.0-136.136, 6.8.0-1046.50, 6.8.0-1059.67, 6.8.0-1064.72, 6.8.0-1064.72~22.04.1, 6.8.1-1056.57, 6.8.1-1056.57~22.04.2
linux-aws (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.186.109, 5.15.0-186.196+fips1, 5.15.0.1106.103, 5.15.0-1106.110, 5.15.0.1107.107, 5.15.0-1107.108, 5.15.0.1112.108, 5.15.0.1112.115, 5.15.0-1112.119, 5.15.0-1112.119+fips1, 5.15.0-1112.119~20.04.1, 6.8.0-1061.64+1
linux-nvidia-tegra (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1053.53, 5.15.0.1053.55, 5.15.0.1064.64, 5.15.0-1064.66
linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 (Ubuntu package) - update to 5.15.0-1064.66~20.04.1
linux-intel-iot-realtime (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1104.106, 5.15.0.1104.108, 5.15.0-1107.113~20.04.1
linux-ibm-5.15 (Ubuntu package) - update to 5.15.0-1106.110~20.04.1
linux-intel-iotg (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1107.106, 5.15.0-1107.113
linux-azure (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1109.105, 5.15.0-1109.115, 5.15.0.1117.115, 5.15.0-1117.126, 6.8.0-1063.71, 6.8.0-1063.71~22.04.1
linux-azure-5.15 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1109.115~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1117.126~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1117.126~20.04.2
linux-azure-fips (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0.1117.102, 5.15.0-1117.126+fips1, 6.8.0-1063.71+fips2
linux-azure-fde (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 5.15.0-1117.126, 6.8.0-1062.69
linux (Debian package) - addressed in versions 6.1.170-1, 6.12.85-1
linux-fips (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-136.136+fips2, 6.8.0-136.136.2, 6.8.0-136.136.2~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1058.61
linux-hwe-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-136.136~22.04.1
linux-ibm (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1030.31, 6.8.0-1033.34, 6.8.0-1061.62, 6.8.0-1061.62~22.04.1
linux-oracle-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1058.61~22.04.1
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1059.62, 6.8.0-1059.62.1, 6.8.0-1059.62~22.04.1
linux-aws-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1061.64+fips1, 6.8.0-1061.64~22.04.1
linux-azure-fde-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1062.69~22.04.1
linux-gcp-fips (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1064.72+fips1

External References

Related Security Bulletins