In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

icmp: fix NULL pointer dereference in icmp_tag_validation()

icmp_tag_validation() unconditionally dereferences the result of
rcu_dereference(inet_protos[proto]) without checking for NULL.
The inet_protos[] array is sparse -- only about 15 of 256 protocol
numbers have registered handlers. When ip_no_pmtu_disc is set to 3
(hardened PMTU mode) and the kernel receives an ICMP Fragmentation
Needed error with a quoted inner IP header containing an unregistered
protocol number, the NULL dereference causes a kernel panic in
softirq context.

Oops: general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xdffffc0000000002: 0000 [#1] SMP KASAN NOPTI
KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000010-0x0000000000000017]
RIP: 0010:icmp_unreach (net/ipv4/icmp.c:1085 net/ipv4/icmp.c:1143)
Call Trace:
<IRQ>
icmp_rcv (net/ipv4/icmp.c:1527)
ip_protocol_deliver_rcu (net/ipv4/ip_input.c:207)
ip_local_deliver_finish (net/ipv4/ip_input.c:242)
ip_local_deliver (net/ipv4/ip_input.c:262)
ip_rcv (net/ipv4/ip_input.c:573)
__netif_receive_skb_one_core (net/core/dev.c:6164)
process_backlog (net/core/dev.c:6628)
handle_softirqs (kernel/softirq.c:561)
</IRQ>

Add a NULL check before accessing icmp_strict_tag_validation. If the
protocol has no registered handler, return false since it cannot
perform strict tag validation.

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4561-1 linux-6.1 security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6238-1 linux security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6243-1 linux security update
Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:3.14:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.2, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}


Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:15:00 +0000


Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.2, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate


Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: icmp: fix NULL pointer dereference in icmp_tag_validation() icmp_tag_validation() unconditionally dereferences the result of rcu_dereference(inet_protos[proto]) without checking for NULL. The inet_protos[] array is sparse -- only about 15 of 256 protocol numbers have registered handlers. When ip_no_pmtu_disc is set to 3 (hardened PMTU mode) and the kernel receives an ICMP Fragmentation Needed error with a quoted inner IP header containing an unregistered protocol number, the NULL dereference causes a kernel panic in softirq context. Oops: general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xdffffc0000000002: 0000 [#1] SMP KASAN NOPTI KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000010-0x0000000000000017] RIP: 0010:icmp_unreach (net/ipv4/icmp.c:1085 net/ipv4/icmp.c:1143) Call Trace: <IRQ> icmp_rcv (net/ipv4/icmp.c:1527) ip_protocol_deliver_rcu (net/ipv4/ip_input.c:207) ip_local_deliver_finish (net/ipv4/ip_input.c:242) ip_local_deliver (net/ipv4/ip_input.c:262) ip_rcv (net/ipv4/ip_input.c:573) __netif_receive_skb_one_core (net/core/dev.c:6164) process_backlog (net/core/dev.c:6628) handle_softirqs (kernel/softirq.c:561) </IRQ> Add a NULL check before accessing icmp_strict_tag_validation. If the protocol has no registered handler, return false since it cannot perform strict tag validation.
Title icmp: fix NULL pointer dereference in icmp_tag_validation()
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-04-18T08:58:33.834Z

Reserved: 2026-01-13T15:37:46.012Z

Link: CVE-2026-23398

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2026-03-26T11:16:19.910

Modified: 2026-04-24T15:17:53.030

Link: CVE-2026-23398

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2026-03-26T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2026-23398 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-04-28T22:00:14Z

Weaknesses