CVE-2026-23044
Use-After-Free Vulnerability in Linux Kernel PM Hibernate Causes Crash
Publication date: 2026-02-04
Last updated on: 2026-02-04
Assigner: kernel.org
Description
Description
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | * |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-UNKNOWN |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's power management hibernate functionality. Specifically, when the function crypto_alloc_acomp() fails, it returns an error pointer (ERR_PTR) instead of NULL. However, the cleanup code in save_compressed_image() and load_compressed_image() does not check for this error pointer and calls crypto_free_acomp() unconditionally. This leads to dereferencing an invalid pointer, causing the kernel to crash.
The issue can be triggered if the compression algorithm is unavailable, for example, if CONFIG_CRYPTO_LZO is not enabled in the kernel configuration. The fix involves adding proper checks (IS_ERR_OR_NULL()) before calling crypto_free_acomp() and acomp_request_free() to avoid freeing invalid pointers.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can cause the Linux kernel to crash during hibernation when the compression algorithm is unavailable or crypto_alloc_acomp() fails. A kernel crash can lead to system instability, unexpected reboots, potential data loss, and denial of service conditions.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
I don't know
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
I don't know
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate this vulnerability, ensure that the Linux kernel is updated to a version where the fix has been applied.
The fix involves adding proper checks (IS_ERR_OR_NULL()) before calling crypto_free_acomp() and acomp_request_free() to prevent kernel crashes.
Additionally, verify that the compression algorithm (e.g., CONFIG_CRYPTO_LZO) is enabled if compression is required, to avoid triggering the issue.