CVE-2026-23173

Kernel crash via nonexistent peer flow deletion

Published Feb 14, 2026 · Updated Feb 14, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in affected Linux Kernel releases allows local users to crash the kernel through mlx5e TC flow deletion. The mlx5e_tc_del_fdb_peers_flow path assumes every possible devcom port has a peer and writes through a null peer while deleting a steering flow. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and an mlx5e traffic-control offload path; the documented consequence is a kernel oops and service interruption.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.12%
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 affected Linux Kernel releases allows local users to crash the kernel through mlx5e TC flow deletion. The mlx5e_tc_del_fdb_peers_flow path assumes every possible devcom port has a peer and writes through a null peer while deleting a steering flow. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and an mlx5e traffic-control offload path; the documented consequence is a kernel oops and service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23173
Published
Feb 14, 2026
Updated
Feb 14, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.5
  2. Affected versionversion=9be6c21fdcf8a7ec48262bb76f78c17ac2761ac6 <2652e2f1253c53f9a3ce84cc972568b32c892734
  3. Affected versionversion=9be6c21fdcf8a7ec48262bb76f78c17ac2761ac6 <62e1d8920f6920543f4b095a65fb964448c9901d
  4. Affected versionversion=9be6c21fdcf8a7ec48262bb76f78c17ac2761ac6 <f67666938ae626cbda63fbf5176b3583c07e7124
  5. Affected versionversion=9be6c21fdcf8a7ec48262bb76f78c17ac2761ac6 <fdf8437016f578f18b160c6e14f13ab96bfbc3ba

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.5; version=9be6c21fdcf8a7ec48262bb76f78c17ac2761ac6 <2652e2f1253c53f9a3ce84cc972568b32c892734; version=9be6c21fdcf8a7ec48262bb76f78c17ac2761ac6 <62e1d8920f6920543f4b095a65fb964448c9901d; version=9be6c21fdcf8a7ec48262bb76f78c17ac2761ac6 <f67666938ae626cbda63fbf5176b3583c07e7124; version=9be6c21fdcf8a7ec48262bb76f78c17ac2761ac6 <fdf8437016f578f18b160c6e14f13ab96bfbc3ba

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5Canonical Ubuntu SecurityCVSS: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

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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

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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