CVE-2026-46118

pseries/papr-hvpipe: Fix null ptr deref in papr_hvpipe_dev_create_handle()

Published May 28, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

pseries/papr-hvpipe: Fix null ptr deref in papr_hvpipe_dev_create_handle()

commit 6d3789d347a7 ("papr-hvpipe: convert papr_hvpipe_dev_create_handle() to FD_PREPARE()"),
changed the create handle to FD_PREPARE(), but it caused kernel
null-ptr-deref because after call to retain_and_null_ptr(src_info),
src_info is re-used for adding it to the global list.

Getting the following kernel panic in papr_hvpipe_dev_create_handle()
when trying to add src_info to the list.
Kernel attempted to write user page (0) - exploit attempt? (uid: 0)
BUG: Kernel NULL pointer dereference on write at 0x00000000
Faulting instruction address: 0xc0000000001b44a0
Oops: Kernel access of bad area, sig: 11 [#1]
...
Call Trace:
papr_hvpipe_dev_ioctl+0x1f4/0x48c (unreliable)
sys_ioctl+0x528/0x1064
system_call_exception+0x128/0x360
system_call_vectored_common+0x15c/0x2ec

Now, the error handling with FD_PREPARE's file cleanup and __free(kfree) auto
cleanup is getting too convoluted. This is mainly because we need to
ensure only 1 user get the srcID handle. To simplify this, we allocate
prepare the src_info in the beginning and add it to the global list
under a spinlock after checking that no duplicates exist.

This simplify the error handling where if the FD_ADD fails, we can
simply remove the src_info from the list and consume any pending msg in
hvpipe to be cleared, after src_info became visible in the global list.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8566-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8568-1 Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8569-1 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8593-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8603-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8618-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8663-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8664-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA BaseOS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8728-1 Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8728-2 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8728-3 Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: pseries/papr-hvpipe: Fix null ptr deref in papr_hvpipe_dev_create_handle() commit 6d3789d347a7 ("papr-hvpipe: convert papr_hvpipe_dev_create_handle() to FD_PREPARE()"), changed the create handle to FD_PREPARE(), but it caused kernel null-ptr-deref because after call to retain_and_null_ptr(src_info), src_info is re-used for adding it to the global list. Getting the following kernel panic in papr_hvpipe_dev_create_handle() when trying to add src_info to the list. Kernel attempted to write user page (0) - exploit attempt? (uid: 0) BUG: Kernel NULL pointer dereference on write at 0x00000000 Faulting instruction address: 0xc0000000001b44a0 Oops: Kernel access of bad area, sig: 11 [#1] ... Call Trace: papr_hvpipe_dev_ioctl+0x1f4/0x48c (unreliable) sys_ioctl+0x528/0x1064 system_call_exception+0x128/0x360 system_call_vectored_common+0x15c/0x2ec Now, the error handling with FD_PREPARE's file cleanup and __free(kfree) auto cleanup is getting too convoluted. This is mainly because we need to ensure only 1 user get the srcID handle. To simplify this, we allocate prepare the src_info in the beginning and add it to the global list under a spinlock after checking that no duplicates exist. This simplify the error handling where if the FD_ADD fails, we can simply remove the src_info from the list and consume any pending msg in hvpipe to be cleared, after src_info became visible in the global list.
Title pseries/papr-hvpipe: Fix null ptr deref in papr_hvpipe_dev_create_handle()
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Oct 15, 2026, 10:07 AM
Reserved
May 13, 2026, 3:03 PM
Status
Undergoing Analysis
Published
May 28, 2026, 10:16 AM
Modified
Oct 15, 2026, 11:17 AM
Severity
Public date
May 28, 2026, 12:00 AM