CVE-2026-22983
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2026-01-23

Last updated on: 2026-02-26

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: do not write to msg_get_inq in callee NULL pointer dereference fix. msg_get_inq is an input field from caller to callee. Don't set it in the callee, as the caller may not clear it on struct reuse. This is a kernel-internal variant of msghdr only, and the only user does reinitialize the field. So this is not critical for that reason. But it is more robust to avoid the write, and slightly simpler code. And it fixes a bug, see below. Callers set msg_get_inq to request the input queue length to be returned in msg_inq. This is equivalent to but independent from the SO_INQ request to return that same info as a cmsg (tp->recvmsg_inq). To reduce branching in the hot path the second also sets the msg_inq. That is WAI. This is a fix to commit 4d1442979e4a ("af_unix: don't post cmsg for SO_INQ unless explicitly asked for"), which fixed the inverse. Also avoid NULL pointer dereference in unix_stream_read_generic if state->msg is NULL and msg->msg_get_inq is written. A NULL state->msg can happen when splicing as of commit 2b514574f7e8 ("net: af_unix: implement splice for stream af_unix sockets"). Also collapse two branches using a bitwise or.
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Meta Information
Published
2026-01-23
Last Modified
2026-02-26
Generated
2026-05-06
AI Q&A
2026-01-23
EPSS Evaluated
2026-05-05
NVD
CVE-2026-22983
EUVD
EUVD-2026-4320
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel 6.19
linux linux_kernel From 6.18.4 (inc) to 6.18.6 (exc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-476 The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL.
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?

This vulnerability involves a NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's networking code. Specifically, the issue arises because the callee function writes to the msg_get_inq field, which is intended as an input from the caller and should not be modified by the callee. If the callee writes to this field when the caller has not properly cleared it, or when the state->msg pointer is NULL (such as during splicing operations), it can cause a NULL pointer dereference, leading to a kernel crash or instability. The fix prevents the callee from writing to msg_get_inq and avoids dereferencing NULL pointers in unix_stream_read_generic.


How can this vulnerability impact me? :

This vulnerability can cause a NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel, which may lead to kernel crashes or system instability. While it is not considered critical because the only user reinitializes the field, exploitation could result in denial of service or unexpected behavior in systems using affected kernel versions.


What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?

The vulnerability is fixed in the Linux kernel by avoiding writing to the msg_get_inq field in the callee to prevent NULL pointer dereference. To mitigate this vulnerability, you should update your Linux kernel to a version that includes this fix (post commit 4d1442979e4a and 2b514574f7e8).


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