Kernel crash via inconsistent GSS option-array state
Published Sep 11, 2026 · Updated Sep 11, 2026
Memory-safety defects in the Linux kernel SUNRPC GSS decoder allow attackers to crash the kernel through option-array decode errors. gssx_dec_option_array leaves a nonzero count paired with a NULL data pointer on allocation and cleanup failures, while credential cleanup leaks refcounted group_info storage. Reachability requires the server-side RPCSEC GSS accept-context decoder to encounter a failing option or credential decode; the directly demonstrated consequence is a NULL-pointer kernel crash, with memory leakage on other error paths.
Summary
What happened
Memory-safety defects in the Linux kernel SUNRPC GSS decoder allow attackers to crash the kernel through option-array decode errors. gssx_dec_option_array leaves a nonzero count paired with a NULL data pointer on allocation and cleanup failures, while credential cleanup leaks refcounted group_info storage. Reachability requires the server-side RPCSEC GSS accept-context decoder to encounter a failing option or credential decode; the directly demonstrated consequence is a NULL-pointer kernel crash, with memory leakage on other error paths.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-89544
- Published
- Sep 11, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- Unavailable
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 11, 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=3cfcfc102a5e57b021b786a755a38935e357797d <3ff45361e9469e85c0f86b8e7b82c63e50bab8ef
- Affected versionversion=3cfcfc102a5e57b021b786a755a38935e357797d <5e9a94539b1ec17a89177d952badfd0d844d694a
- Affected versionversion=3cfcfc102a5e57b021b786a755a38935e357797d <f85a83774d7f4e2ac71c0c384df0dfb6f7d0179a
- Affected versionversion=4.19.311 <4.20
- Affected versionversion=5.10.214 <5.11
- Affected versionversion=5.15.153 <5.16
- Affected versionversion=5.4.273 <5.5
- Affected versionversion=5e6013ae2c8d420faea553d363935f65badd32c3
- Affected versionversion=6.1.83 <6.2
- Affected versionversion=6.6.23 <6.7
- Affected versionversion=6.7.11 <6.8
- Affected versionversion=6.8.2 <6.9
- Affected versionversion=6.9
- Affected versionversion=934212a623cbab851848b6de377eb476718c3e4c
- Affected versionversion=9806c2393cd2ab0a8e7bb9ffae02ce20e3112ec4
- Affected versionversion=996997d1fb2126feda550d6adcedcbd94911fc69
- Affected versionversion=b97c37978ca825557d331c9012e0c1ddc0e42364
- Affected versionversion=bb336cd8d5ecb69c430ebe3e7bcff68471d93fa8
- Affected versionversion=bfa9d86d39a0fe4685f90c3529aa9bd62a9d97a8
- Affected versionversion=dd292e884c649f9b1c18af0ec75ca90b390cd044
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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Attacks
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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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