CVE-2026-23009Hinoki check available

System crash via stale xHCI ring dereference

Published Jan 25, 2026 · Updated Jan 25, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel 6.16 through 6.18.6 allows local users to crash the system during xHCI endpoint removal. xhci_sideband_remove_endpoint() assumes the endpoint is running and dereferences ep->ring even after the transfer ring no longer exists. The crash path requires endpoint removal after resume-time xHCI reinitialization, device re-enumeration or disconnection, or a previously dropped endpoint.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel 6.16 through 6.18.6 allows local users to crash the system during xHCI endpoint removal. xhci_sideband_remove_endpoint() assumes the endpoint is running and dereferences ep->ring even after the transfer ring no longer exists. The crash path requires endpoint removal after resume-time xHCI reinitialization, device re-enumeration or disconnection, or a previously dropped endpoint.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23009
Published
Jan 25, 2026
Updated
Jan 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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

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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=6.16
  2. Affected versionversion=de66754e9f8029f8ae955a588959b99cab56b506 <34f6634dba87ef72b3c3a3a524be663adef7ab42
  3. Affected versionversion=de66754e9f8029f8ae955a588959b99cab56b506 <dd83dc1249737b837ac5d57c81f2b0977c613d9f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.16; version=de66754e9f8029f8ae955a588959b99cab56b506 <34f6634dba87ef72b3c3a3a524be663adef7ab42; version=de66754e9f8029f8ae955a588959b99cab56b506 <dd83dc1249737b837ac5d57c81f2b0977c613d9f

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5CanonicalCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application 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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