CVE-2023-0122Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Pre-authentication kernel crash via NULL controller key

Published Jan 17, 2023 · Updated Apr 4, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel 6.0-rc1 through 6.0-rc3 allows remote attackers to crash NVMe target hosts before authentication. The nvmet_setup_auth function leaves ctrl->ctrl_key as NULL when controller-key extraction fails, then reads its hash, length, and key fields while logging. An NVMe target with DH-HMAC-CHAP authentication and a malformed controller key therefore suffers a kernel crash when a client connects using an allowed host NQN.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel 6.0-rc1 through 6.0-rc3 allows remote attackers to crash NVMe target hosts before authentication. The nvmet_setup_auth function leaves ctrl->ctrl_key as NULL when controller-key extraction fails, then reads its hash, length, and key fields while logging. An NVMe target with DH-HMAC-CHAP authentication and a malformed controller key therefore suffers a kernel crash when a client connects using an allowed host NQN.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-0122
Published
Jan 17, 2023
Updated
Apr 4, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 17, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 4, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=Linux kernel 6.0-rc4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=Linux kernel 6.0-rc4

Published CVSS scores

7.5CISA ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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