CVE-2026-74654

Kernel crash via stale RX DMA state

Published Aug 22, 2026 · Updated Aug 22, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux 8250 DMA serial driver allows local users to crash the kernel after an active RX transfer is closed. serial8250_release_dma() releases the RX channel without clearing rx_running, so serial8250_rx_dma_flush() later passes a NULL channel to dmaengine_pause(). Reaching the fault requires the DesignWare BUSY startup path after the affected serial port is closed during RX DMA and reopened, resulting in a kernel Oops and service interruption.

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 the Linux 8250 DMA serial driver allows local users to crash the kernel after an active RX transfer is closed. serial8250_release_dma() releases the RX channel without clearing rx_running, so serial8250_rx_dma_flush() later passes a NULL channel to dmaengine_pause(). Reaching the fault requires the DesignWare BUSY startup path after the affected serial port is closed during RX DMA and reopened, resulting in a kernel Oops and service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-74654
Published
Aug 22, 2026
Updated
Aug 22, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 22, 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=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <9f2444f4c0e4b06f61bae38da87c9c94c78efa86
  2. Affected versionversion=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <ae05d9e50b6b9f246c110b3bdc03676145c2d0d4
  3. Affected versionversion=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <bf4fb620e02962b2b52500a4b3d8420f351eb46a
  4. Affected versionversion=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <d06cfb1add4a2d5b393e9e31f49ebbd168beea49
  5. Affected versionversion=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <e10f06ee050a08930e2339b6fec7148fd0b2a8f6
  6. Affected versionversion=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <e2fe6a0efecbef00e3ecc2db64dd5afa8c212b41
  7. Affected versionversion=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <e7a5d792cf64a2096e18f1d573cc3d01cba15e92
  8. Affected versionversion=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <e7e3cc6709caa49d1d6ce6c1f7cb305e38675cc9
  9. Affected versionversion=3.19

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <9f2444f4c0e4b06f61bae38da87c9c94c78efa86; version=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <ae05d9e50b6b9f246c110b3bdc03676145c2d0d4; version=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <bf4fb620e02962b2b52500a4b3d8420f351eb46a; version=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <d06cfb1add4a2d5b393e9e31f49ebbd168beea49; version=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <e10f06ee050a08930e2339b6fec7148fd0b2a8f6; version=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <e2fe6a0efecbef00e3ecc2db64dd5afa8c212b41; version=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <e7a5d792cf64a2096e18f1d573cc3d01cba15e92; version=0fcb7901f9d61a325b4c5b88c600383bcbeb97fe <e7e3cc6709caa49d1d6ce6c1f7cb305e38675cc9; version=3.19

Published CVSS scores

5.5Oracle LinuxCVSS: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.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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