CVE-2026-31736
Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete
NULL Dereference in Linux Kernel MTK PPE Ethernet Driver

Publication date: 2026-05-01

Last updated on: 2026-05-07

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ethernet: mtk_ppe: avoid NULL deref when gmac0 is disabled If the gmac0 is disabled, the precheck for a valid ingress device will cause a NULL pointer deref and crash the system. This happens because eth->netdev[0] will be NULL but the code will directly try to access netdev_ops. Instead of just checking for the first net_device, it must be checked if any of the mtk_eth net_devices is matching the netdev_ops of the ingress device.
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
Probability:
Percentile:
Meta Information
Published
2026-05-01
Last Modified
2026-05-07
Generated
2026-06-16
AI Q&A
2026-05-01
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-15
NVD
CVE-2026-31736
EUVD
EUVD-2026-26549
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 9 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel 7.0
linux linux_kernel 7.0
linux linux_kernel 7.0
linux linux_kernel 7.0
linux linux_kernel 7.0
linux linux_kernel 7.0
linux linux_kernel From 6.13 (inc) to 6.18.22 (exc)
linux linux_kernel From 6.19 (inc) to 6.19.12 (exc)
linux linux_kernel From 6.11 (inc) to 6.12.81 (exc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-476 The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL.
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Quick Actions
Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's ethernet driver for the MediaTek PPE (mtk_ppe). When the gmac0 interface is disabled, the code attempts to access a network device pointer that is NULL, leading to a NULL pointer dereference and causing the system to crash.

Specifically, the code checks only the first network device (eth->netdev[0]) without verifying if it is valid. If gmac0 is disabled, this pointer is NULL, but the code still tries to access its operations (netdev_ops), resulting in a crash.

The fix involves checking all mtk_eth network devices to find one matching the ingress device's netdev_ops instead of just the first device.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can cause the affected Linux system to crash due to a NULL pointer dereference when the gmac0 ethernet interface is disabled.

Such a crash can lead to denial of service, interrupting normal operations and potentially causing data loss or system downtime.

Chat Assistant
Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-31736. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70
EPSS Chart