Kernel crash via failed SCTP-AUTH key initialization
Published Feb 14, 2026 · Updated Feb 14, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel SCTP before 6.19 allows local users to crash the kernel during authenticated DATA transmission. When active-key setup fails while processing INIT_ACK, SCTP_CMD_PEER_INIT has already marked the peer authentication-capable, so sctp_datamsg_from_user queues DATA with a null shared key and the cookie timer later transmits it. Reaching the fault requires local access, SCTP-AUTH negotiation, failed shared-key generation, and timing that bundles the DATA chunk with COOKIE_ECHO; the resulting NULL dereference interrupts the host.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel SCTP before 6.19 allows local users to crash the kernel during authenticated DATA transmission. When active-key setup fails while processing INIT_ACK, SCTP_CMD_PEER_INIT has already marked the peer authentication-capable, so sctp_datamsg_from_user queues DATA with a null shared key and the cookie timer later transmits it. Reaching the fault requires local access, SCTP-AUTH negotiation, failed shared-key generation, and timing that bundles the DATA chunk with COOKIE_ECHO; the resulting NULL dereference interrupts the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-23125
- Published
- Feb 14, 2026
- Updated
- Feb 14, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 14, 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.
- Affected versionversion=2.6.24
- Affected versionversion=730fc3d05cd4ba4c9ce2de91f3d43349e95dbbf5 <0c4adb1f391a7b92a0405e9d7c05624c0d9f8a65
- Affected versionversion=730fc3d05cd4ba4c9ce2de91f3d43349e95dbbf5 <5a309bedf02ee08b0653215f06c94d61ec7a214a
- Affected versionversion=730fc3d05cd4ba4c9ce2de91f3d43349e95dbbf5 <784428ab1889eb185a1459e9d6bc52df33d572ef
- Affected versionversion=730fc3d05cd4ba4c9ce2de91f3d43349e95dbbf5 <a80c9d945aef55b23b54838334345f20251dad83
- Affected versionversion=730fc3d05cd4ba4c9ce2de91f3d43349e95dbbf5 <bf2b543b3cc4ebb4ab5bca4f8dfa5612035d45b8
- Affected versionversion=730fc3d05cd4ba4c9ce2de91f3d43349e95dbbf5 <e7e81abbcc5620c9532080538f9709a6ea382855
- Affected versionversion=730fc3d05cd4ba4c9ce2de91f3d43349e95dbbf5 <e94294798548e8cfbd80869e1d2f97efce92582c
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Technologies
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