CVE-2026-89477
Received Received - Intake

NULL dereference in Linux kernel SCTP stream reset

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-89477, including description, CVSS score, EPSS score, affected products, exploitability, helpful resources, and attack-flow context.

Publication date: 2026-09-11

Last updated on: 2026-09-11

Assigner: kernel.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sctp: fix NULL deref on untransmitted RECONF completion sctp_process_strreset_outreq(), sctp_process_strreset_addstrm_out() and sctp_process_strreset_resp() complete a pending stream reconfiguration request by stopping the reconf timer on the transport it was sent on: t = asoc->strreset_chunk->transport; if (timer_delete(&t->reconf_timer)) sctp_transport_put(t); chunk->transport is assigned by __sctp_packet_append_chunk() when the chunk is appended to an outbound packet, and sctp_outq_flush_ctrl() arms the reconf timer at that same point. A request already published in asoc->strreset_chunk but not yet transmitted has neither, so completing it dereferences NULL. Two ways to get there. sctp_send_asconf_del_ip() sets asoc->src_out_of_asoc_ok without sending anything when the address being removed is the association's last one, and sctp_outq_flush_ctrl() then leaves every non-ASCONF control chunk queued; as only sctp_process_asconf_ack() clears that flag, it persists. An unprivileged process that removes such an address and then asks for a stream reset panics the kernel from softirq. A peer needs neither ASCONF nor local help: sctp_cmd_interpreter() uncorks the outqueue only once the whole packet has been processed, so a reply built while walking a RECONF chunk stays untransmitted for the rest of that walk, and one RECONF chunk carrying [Incoming SSN Reset Request, Outgoing SSN Reset Request, Response] -- or two RECONF chunks in one packet -- reaches the same dereference. KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x00000000000001e8-0x00000000000001ef] RIP: 0010:timer_delete+0x67/0x110 Call Trace: <IRQ> sctp_process_strreset_addstrm_out (net/sctp/stream.c:832) sctp_sf_do_reconf (net/sctp/sm_statefuns.c:4212) sctp_do_sm (net/sctp/sm_sideeffect.c:1172) sctp_assoc_bh_rcv (net/sctp/associola.c:1044) sctp_rcv (net/sctp/input.c:243) ip_local_deliver (net/ipv4/ip_input.c:262) process_backlog (net/core/dev.c:6680) </IRQ> A response can only acknowledge a request that was actually sent, so do not match asoc->strreset_chunk while chunk->transport is NULL. Guarding the lookup covers all three completion sites.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-11
Last Modified
2026-09-11
Generated
2026-09-12
AI Q&A
2026-09-11
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
EUVD

Affected Vendors & Products

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

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves a NULL pointer dereference in the Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) when processing stream reconfiguration requests. It occurs when a pending stream reconfiguration request is completed without being transmitted, leading to a crash in the kernel due to accessing a null transport pointer.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's SCTP implementation and may not have direct detection commands. Monitor kernel logs for NULL pointer dereference errors related to SCTP or stream reset operations. Check for kernel panics or crashes involving sctp_process_strreset_outreq, sctp_process_strreset_addstrm_out, or sctp_process_strreset_resp functions.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to cause a kernel panic, resulting in a denial of service on affected systems. This could disrupt network services relying on SCTP, such as VoIP or other real-time applications, by crashing the system.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest Linux kernel patches that address this vulnerability. If immediate patching is not possible, consider disabling SCTP protocol on affected systems if it is not required. Monitor network traffic for unusual SCTP stream reset requests or malformed packets that could trigger the vulnerability.

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