CVE-2026-53032
Received Received - Intake
NULL Pointer Dereference in Linux Kernel BPF Subsystem

Publication date: 2026-06-24

Last updated on: 2026-06-24

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Fix NULL deref in map_kptr_match_type for scalar regs Commit ab6c637ad027 ("bpf: Fix a bpf_kptr_xchg() issue with local kptr") refactored map_kptr_match_type() to branch on btf_is_kernel() before checking base_type(). A scalar register stored into a kptr slot has no btf, so the btf_is_kernel(reg->btf) call dereferences NULL. Move the base_type() != PTR_TO_BTF_ID guard before any reg->btf access.
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Meta Information
Published
2026-06-24
Last Modified
2026-06-24
Generated
2026-06-25
AI Q&A
2026-06-24
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-53032
EUVD
EUVD-2026-38900
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel *
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Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN
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Executive Summary

This vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's BPF (Berkeley Packet Filter) subsystem. Specifically, it involves a NULL pointer dereference in the function map_kptr_match_type when handling scalar registers. The issue arises because the code attempts to check if a register's BTF (BPF Type Format) is kernel-level by calling btf_is_kernel(reg->btf), but scalar registers stored in a kptr slot do not have BTF information, leading to a NULL dereference.

The fix involved refactoring the code to check the base type before accessing the BTF pointer, preventing the NULL dereference.

Impact Analysis

A NULL pointer dereference in the kernel can cause a system crash or kernel panic, leading to denial of service. This means that an attacker or a faulty program could potentially trigger this vulnerability to disrupt system availability.

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