Kernel panic via IPv6 device NULL dereference
Published Aug 28, 2026 · Updated Aug 28, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel IPv6 statistics processing allows attackers to trigger a kernel panic during interface removal. The __in6_dev_stats_get() helper passes a NULL result from dev_get_by_index_rcu() to __in6_dev_get(), which dereferences the missing device's ip6_ptr. The race requires a VRF master, IPv6 traffic, and concurrent removal of the original physical interface, so the bounded consequence is a kernel panic.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel IPv6 statistics processing allows attackers to trigger a kernel panic during interface removal. The __in6_dev_stats_get() helper passes a NULL result from dev_get_by_index_rcu() to __in6_dev_get(), which dereferences the missing device's ip6_ptr. The race requires a VRF master, IPv6 traffic, and concurrent removal of the original physical interface, so the bounded consequence is a kernel panic.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-80646
- Published
- Aug 28, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 28, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- Unavailable
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 28, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 28, 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=4.19.291 <4.20
- Affected versionversion=5.2
- Affected versionversion=a24963500a4ec921ce9c2597e0a584e44513afae
- Affected versionversion=e1ae5c2ea4783b1fd87be250f9fcc9d9e1a6ba3f <0db1949084e85a72d174a7dea3259b94fe5a9305
- Affected versionversion=e1ae5c2ea4783b1fd87be250f9fcc9d9e1a6ba3f <1a4adfbeb47a212a64539137411f1ca168474d33
- Affected versionversion=e1ae5c2ea4783b1fd87be250f9fcc9d9e1a6ba3f <1e3db30a88815bae6e9d5db6f64ac735e615a07e
- Affected versionversion=e1ae5c2ea4783b1fd87be250f9fcc9d9e1a6ba3f <507541c2a8eeb76c02bd2511958f73a8cfa3e1bc
- Affected versionversion=e1ae5c2ea4783b1fd87be250f9fcc9d9e1a6ba3f <952426a83ca75cea25c09d58944abafaa3ebd242
- Affected versionversion=e1ae5c2ea4783b1fd87be250f9fcc9d9e1a6ba3f <a23f2c68c6635e41404f189f8f7ae910738cebdb
- Affected versionversion=e1ae5c2ea4783b1fd87be250f9fcc9d9e1a6ba3f <e14db43677946bf2095febd294bb3c13ab375ab7
- Affected versionversion=e1ae5c2ea4783b1fd87be250f9fcc9d9e1a6ba3f <fc920c0659cdea5afd8721c1155a51564859e075
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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