CVE-2026-68434

Kernel crash via unchecked serial-driver callbacks

Published Aug 12, 2026 · Updated Aug 12, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux's 8250_mid serial driver allows local users to crash the kernel on affected server platforms. The mid8250_probe() and mid8250_remove() call sites invoke setup and exit callbacks unconditionally after those callbacks were set to NULL. The fault is limited to vulnerable kernels on Denverton, Ice Lake Xeon D, or Snowridge hardware; the resulting kernel oops interrupts the host.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.18%
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's 8250_mid serial driver allows local users to crash the kernel on affected server platforms. The mid8250_probe() and mid8250_remove() call sites invoke setup and exit callbacks unconditionally after those callbacks were set to NULL. The fault is limited to vulnerable kernels on Denverton, Ice Lake Xeon D, or Snowridge hardware; the resulting kernel oops interrupts the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-68434
Published
Aug 12, 2026
Updated
Aug 12, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 12, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 12, 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=0b3ed3fa227ba778cabed96e7f8d84addb8bdf9c
  2. Affected versionversion=1cd54e217c6e2cdb794a897b2f855e13ffcee586 <b2a3eeb57ba24f8a0e34a69d40adcc63e5b9ca56
  3. Affected versionversion=5.10.261 <5.11
  4. Affected versionversion=5.15.212 <5.16
  5. Affected versionversion=587afb06a5d1dc5092d3d9e9ac3ccf22094d50c6 <1096397c31f6bffa95e77bdd18fbca085be83e10
  6. Affected versionversion=6.1.178 <6.2
  7. Affected versionversion=6.12.96 <6.12.101
  8. Affected versionversion=6.18.39 <6.18.42
  9. Affected versionversion=6.6.145 <6.6.148
  10. Affected versionversion=7.1.4 <7.1.6
  11. Affected versionversion=7.2-rc3
  12. Affected versionversion=763d61ded752fbb3116efc951eff4363f237b7e0
  13. Affected versionversion=9690e8a342632344984af72bc56b7a1fba61e6cb <8cbad52ccfa6a7f089cfab34979bc6cc3bff25be
  14. Affected versionversion=977855894bca4b87afa50d21e3f3e85a5a0e901f <600dcd548fb2b00a69f447684f52ba45d5a3540e
  15. Affected versionversion=b1b4efea05a56c0995e4702a86d6624b4fdff32f <7fb13fd7e9a59a37cd911efff83abe19e3ee029d
  16. Affected versionversion=c7d190bb07bf4e3b217c69370e94d1b4c80a40ad

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0b3ed3fa227ba778cabed96e7f8d84addb8bdf9c; version=1cd54e217c6e2cdb794a897b2f855e13ffcee586 <b2a3eeb57ba24f8a0e34a69d40adcc63e5b9ca56; version=5.10.261 <5.11; version=5.15.212 <5.16; version=587afb06a5d1dc5092d3d9e9ac3ccf22094d50c6 <1096397c31f6bffa95e77bdd18fbca085be83e10; version=6.1.178 <6.2; version=6.12.96 <6.12.101; version=6.18.39 <6.18.42; version=6.6.145 <6.6.148; version=7.1.4 <7.1.6; version=7.2-rc3; version=763d61ded752fbb3116efc951eff4363f237b7e0; version=9690e8a342632344984af72bc56b7a1fba61e6cb <8cbad52ccfa6a7f089cfab34979bc6cc3bff25be; version=977855894bca4b87afa50d21e3f3e85a5a0e901f <600dcd548fb2b00a69f447684f52ba45d5a3540e; version=b1b4efea05a56c0995e4702a86d6624b4fdff32f <7fb13fd7e9a59a37cd911efff83abe19e3ee029d; version=c7d190bb07bf4e3b217c69370e94d1b4c80a40ad

Published CVSS scores

5.5Red HatCVSS: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

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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