CVE-2026-22998Network attack vector

Kernel crash via premature H2C_DATA pointer dereference

Published Jan 25, 2026 · Updated Jan 25, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the NVMe/TCP target in Linux Kernel allows remote attackers to crash the kernel with a premature H2C_DATA PDU. The nvmet_tcp_handle_h2c_data_pdu path calls nvmet_tcp_build_pdu_iovec without confirming that cmd->req.sg and cmd->iov were initialized, so the callee dereferences NULL pointers. An unauthenticated peer can reach the flaw immediately after ICREQ/ICRESP, before CONNECT or a write command, interrupting the target host.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.74%
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 the NVMe/TCP target in Linux Kernel allows remote attackers to crash the kernel with a premature H2C_DATA PDU. The nvmet_tcp_handle_h2c_data_pdu path calls nvmet_tcp_build_pdu_iovec without confirming that cmd->req.sg and cmd->iov were initialized, so the callee dereferences NULL pointers. An unauthenticated peer can reach the flaw immediately after ICREQ/ICRESP, before CONNECT or a write command, interrupting the target host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-22998
Published
Jan 25, 2026
Updated
Jan 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=24e05760186dc070d3db190ca61efdbce23afc88
  2. Affected versionversion=2871aa407007f6f531fae181ad252486e022df42
  3. Affected versionversion=4cb3cf7177ae3666be7fb27d4ad4d72a295fb02d
  4. Affected versionversion=6.8
  5. Affected versionversion=70154e8d015c9b4fb56c1a2ef1fc8b83d45c7f68
  6. Affected versionversion=ee5e7632e981673f42a50ade25e71e612e543d9d
  7. Affected versionversion=efa56305908ba20de2104f1b8508c6a7401833be <32b63acd78f577b332d976aa06b56e70d054cbba
  8. Affected versionversion=efa56305908ba20de2104f1b8508c6a7401833be <374b095e265fa27465f34780e0eb162ff1bef913
  9. Affected versionversion=efa56305908ba20de2104f1b8508c6a7401833be <3def5243150716be86599c2a1767c29c68838b6d
  10. Affected versionversion=f775f2621c2ac5cc3a0b3a64665dad4fb146e510

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=24e05760186dc070d3db190ca61efdbce23afc88; version=2871aa407007f6f531fae181ad252486e022df42; version=4cb3cf7177ae3666be7fb27d4ad4d72a295fb02d; version=6.8; version=70154e8d015c9b4fb56c1a2ef1fc8b83d45c7f68; version=ee5e7632e981673f42a50ade25e71e612e543d9d; version=efa56305908ba20de2104f1b8508c6a7401833be <32b63acd78f577b332d976aa06b56e70d054cbba; version=efa56305908ba20de2104f1b8508c6a7401833be <374b095e265fa27465f34780e0eb162ff1bef913; version=efa56305908ba20de2104f1b8508c6a7401833be <3def5243150716be86599c2a1767c29c68838b6d; version=f775f2621c2ac5cc3a0b3a64665dad4fb146e510

Published CVSS scores

7.5kernel.orgCVSS: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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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