Remote kernel crash via file-backed ZNS identification
Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 18, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux NVMe target allows remote authenticated users to crash the kernel via a crafted Identify command. nvmet_execute_identify_ns_zns() passes a NULL req->ns->bdev from a file-backed namespace to bdev_is_zoned(), causing a kernel oops. Exposure requires CONFIG_BLK_DEV_ZONED, a file-backed NVMe target namespace, and a host able to issue a ZNS-specific Identify request.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux NVMe target allows remote authenticated users to crash the kernel via a crafted Identify command. nvmet_execute_identify_ns_zns() passes a NULL req->ns->bdev from a file-backed namespace to bdev_is_zoned(), causing a kernel oops. Exposure requires CONFIG_BLK_DEV_ZONED, a file-backed NVMe target namespace, and a host able to issue a ZNS-specific Identify request.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-90228
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 18, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 18, 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=5.14
- Affected versionversion=aaf2e048af2704da5869f27b508b288f36d5c7b7 <0b4cf43f9ca7118590a338de900edbd6047cd89f
- Affected versionversion=aaf2e048af2704da5869f27b508b288f36d5c7b7 <1ce8faf90eb0bf5599b90db38500aefea9426485
- Affected versionversion=aaf2e048af2704da5869f27b508b288f36d5c7b7 <1fb1236312ee1a600de6b3ca560f0b3fd5a50471
- Affected versionversion=aaf2e048af2704da5869f27b508b288f36d5c7b7 <b873099944dae5702b4b6db6814d1f1e8d4cfb00
- Affected versionversion=aaf2e048af2704da5869f27b508b288f36d5c7b7 <cc29f7082b7ab5e0337f27d1fef16359f05fcffa
- Affected versionversion=aaf2e048af2704da5869f27b508b288f36d5c7b7 <f594863967d87b7fcbff6e724d51135fd701a13d
- Affected versionversion=aaf2e048af2704da5869f27b508b288f36d5c7b7 <ff28a93a895912010a7827a0e1445ebe8be53b4d
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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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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