Kernel oops via unchecked debugfs SQ-context dereference
Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 17, 2026
NULL dereference in Linux's octeontx2-af debugfs interface allows local users to trigger a kernel oops by reading tm_tree. The rvu_dbg_nix_tm_tree_display() function accesses pfvf->sq_ctx without checking allocation when the selected NIX logical function has no transmit queues set up. Exploitation requires the affected driver and access to /sys/kernel/debug/octeontx2/nix/tm_tree, normally restricted to root; the documented consequence is a kernel oops, not code execution.
Summary
What happened
NULL dereference in Linux's octeontx2-af debugfs interface allows local users to trigger a kernel oops by reading tm_tree. The rvu_dbg_nix_tm_tree_display() function accesses pfvf->sq_ctx without checking allocation when the selected NIX logical function has no transmit queues set up. Exploitation requires the affected driver and access to /sys/kernel/debug/octeontx2/nix/tm_tree, normally restricted to root; the documented consequence is a kernel oops, not code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-90085
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 17, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 17, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=6.11
- Affected versionversion=b907194a5d5bcd3b01d28d095f6a4d9fcd9c5354 <537e11a1700f64dc6754108f0e1333ad63d4f548
- Affected versionversion=b907194a5d5bcd3b01d28d095f6a4d9fcd9c5354 <ec65631bd5ec251cdf67a4919fac7a3149a6e235
- Affected versionversion=b907194a5d5bcd3b01d28d095f6a4d9fcd9c5354 <fb736d733b0a60377cf53010571c261886446fd5
- Affected versionversion=b907194a5d5bcd3b01d28d095f6a4d9fcd9c5354 <fdf7358e2688f12eff41290bc45030b7aff0845e
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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Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
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