CVE-2026-80646
Received Received - Intake

NULL Dereference in Linux Kernel IPv6 Networking

Publication date: 2026-08-28

Last updated on: 2026-08-28

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv6: guard against possible NULL deref in __in6_dev_stats_get() dev_get_by_index_rcu() could return NULL if the original physical device is unregistered. Found by Sashiko.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-08-28
Last Modified
2026-08-28
Generated
2026-08-28
AI Q&A
2026-08-28
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-80646
EUVD
EUVD-2026-67522

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This is a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's IPv6 networking code. The function __in6_dev_stats_get() does not properly check if dev_get_by_index_rcu() returns NULL when the physical device is unregistered. This could lead to a system crash or other undefined behavior if exploited.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability involves a NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's IPv6 networking code. Detection requires checking kernel logs for crashes or errors related to IPv6 operations. Monitor system logs for kernel panics or oops messages involving __in6_dev_stats_get() or dev_get_by_index_rcu().

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could cause a kernel panic or system crash, leading to denial of service. It may also allow local attackers to escalate privileges or execute arbitrary code with kernel-level access, depending on the system configuration.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest Linux kernel security updates provided by your distribution. If immediate patching is not possible, consider disabling IPv6 temporarily as a workaround, though this may impact network functionality.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-80646. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart