CVE-2026-23474
Buffer Overflow in Linux Kernel MTD RedBoot Partition Parser
Publication date: 2026-04-03
Last updated on: 2026-04-18
Assigner: kernel.org
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.19.0 |
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 handling of the RedBoot partition table parser. When CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE is enabled and using a recent compiler, a buffer overflow warning occurs due to the use of memcmp() reading beyond the allocated buffer size. The issue arises because the code calculates the size of a dynamic allocation using strlen(), but then uses memcmp() which can read more bytes than allocated, potentially causing a crash (oops). The fix involves replacing memcmp() with strcmp() to ensure the comparison stays within the allocated buffer bounds.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can cause the Linux kernel to crash (a boot crash) when parsing the RedBoot partition table. This happens because of a buffer overflow detected by the fortify source mechanism, which leads to an 'oops' or kernel panic. Such a crash can result in system instability or denial of service during boot.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
The vulnerability has been resolved in the Linux kernel by avoiding a boot crash in the RedBoot partition table parser.
To mitigate this vulnerability, update your Linux kernel to a version that includes the fix for this issue.
The fix involves replacing memcmp() with strcmp() in the affected code to prevent reading beyond the end of the allocation.
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
This vulnerability manifests as a kernel warning and an oops related to a buffer overflow detected in the RedBoot partition table parser when CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE=y and a recent compiler is used.
To detect this vulnerability on your system, you can check the kernel logs for the specific warning message indicating a buffer overflow in memcmp within the RedBoot partition table parser.
- Use the command: dmesg | grep -i 'memcmp: detected buffer overflow'
- Alternatively, check system logs with: journalctl -k | grep -i 'memcmp: detected buffer overflow'
These commands help identify if the kernel has logged the specific buffer overflow warning related to this vulnerability.