CVE-2026-74684

Host crash via uninitialized TAP device pointer

Published Aug 22, 2026 · Updated Aug 25, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel allows guest OS users to crash a virtualization host via crafted virtio-net TX data. tap_get_user_xdp parses a GSO virtio-net header before assigning skb->dev, letting a zero protocol reach dev_parse_header_protocol with a NULL device pointer. Exploitation requires a guest using a vhost-net TAP or macvtap backend with TX batching; the demonstrated consequence is a host kernel panic and interruption of co-resident guests.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.14%
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 kernel allows guest OS users to crash a virtualization host via crafted virtio-net TX data. tap_get_user_xdp parses a GSO virtio-net header before assigning skb->dev, letting a zero protocol reach dev_parse_header_protocol with a NULL device pointer. Exploitation requires a guest using a vhost-net TAP or macvtap backend with TX batching; the demonstrated consequence is a host kernel panic and interruption of co-resident guests.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-74684
Published
Aug 22, 2026
Updated
Aug 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 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=4.14.226 <4.15
  2. Affected versionversion=4.19.181 <4.20
  3. Affected versionversion=5.10.24 <5.11
  4. Affected versionversion=5.11.7 <5.12
  5. Affected versionversion=5.12
  6. Affected versionversion=5.4.106 <5.5
  7. Affected versionversion=54ef8243c3c8e90f1ea5792e6752e021a25c8eb3
  8. Affected versionversion=924a9bc362a5223cd448ca08c3dde21235adc310 <15583b07fd691a844fbf7b3ad612cdc9e9a657c0
  9. Affected versionversion=924a9bc362a5223cd448ca08c3dde21235adc310 <164c31ee252ebd1ac8f44c2dfc5486b6d9a0379b
  10. Affected versionversion=924a9bc362a5223cd448ca08c3dde21235adc310 <3874892dd27d5387aa9a06f58d9060f18f351d24
  11. Affected versionversion=924a9bc362a5223cd448ca08c3dde21235adc310 <8b444b126cd8e4473e652f529753ed4dd1360a9c
  12. Affected versionversion=99b1d3f74b9ef72c2f74c8e4c078e1bc0706e748
  13. Affected versionversion=ca278267d6cd9544645731732455b6b20cb0e895
  14. Affected versionversion=ea3fb2ce5fa794d02135f5c079e05cd6fc3f545d
  15. Affected versionversion=faa3baa2828c5e1c4374f3e60041f75c64f5fcb6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.14.226 <4.15; version=4.19.181 <4.20; version=5.10.24 <5.11; version=5.11.7 <5.12; version=5.12; version=5.4.106 <5.5; version=54ef8243c3c8e90f1ea5792e6752e021a25c8eb3; version=924a9bc362a5223cd448ca08c3dde21235adc310 <15583b07fd691a844fbf7b3ad612cdc9e9a657c0; version=924a9bc362a5223cd448ca08c3dde21235adc310 <164c31ee252ebd1ac8f44c2dfc5486b6d9a0379b; version=924a9bc362a5223cd448ca08c3dde21235adc310 <3874892dd27d5387aa9a06f58d9060f18f351d24; version=924a9bc362a5223cd448ca08c3dde21235adc310 <8b444b126cd8e4473e652f529753ed4dd1360a9c; version=99b1d3f74b9ef72c2f74c8e4c078e1bc0706e748; version=ca278267d6cd9544645731732455b6b20cb0e895; version=ea3fb2ce5fa794d02135f5c079e05cd6fc3f545d; version=faa3baa2828c5e1c4374f3e60041f75c64f5fcb6

Published CVSS scores

7.0Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.1Linux kernel CVE teamCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.0OracleCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.1CanonicalCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
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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