CVE-2026-89561

ipv6: rpl: fix NULL dereference of idev in ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv()

Published Sep 11, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.5 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ipv6: rpl: fix NULL dereference of idev in ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv()

ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv() dereferences idev from __in6_dev_get() without a NULL
check when reading idev->cnf.rpl_seg_enabled.

When the device's MTU drops below IPV6_MIN_MTU, addrconf_ifdown() clears
dev->ip6_ptr through RCU_INIT_POINTER(). A packet that passed the idev
check in ip6_rcv_core() can then reach ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv() with
dev->ip6_ptr already NULL.

Reproduced by flooding the receiving interface with ping6 traffic while
flapping its MTU between 1500 and 1200:

BUG: KASAN: null-ptr-deref in ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv+0xb3/0x1070
Read of size 4 at addr 00000000000006b4 by task ping6/394

CPU: 2 UID: 0 PID: 394 Comm: ping6 Not tainted 7.2.0-rc7-micro-vm-dev-00095-g24ef02f934ee #240 PREEMPT(full)
Call Trace:
<IRQ>
kasan_report+0xc6/0x100
ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv+0xb3/0x1070
ip6_protocol_deliver_rcu+0x759/0x9a0
ip6_input_finish+0xa8/0x1b0
ip6_input+0xe1/0x490
ipv6_rcv+0x33d/0x460
__netif_receive_skb_one_core+0xd6/0x130
process_backlog+0x2cc/0xa00
__napi_poll.constprop.0+0x56/0x270
net_rx_action+0x327/0x730
handle_softirqs+0x11e/0x630
do_softirq+0xb3/0xf0
</IRQ>

Both ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv() and ipv6_srh_rcv() are called only from
ipv6_rthdr_rcv(), which already has an idev lookup.

Fix the NULL dereference on the RPL path by checking idev in
ipv6_rthdr_rcv(), before it calls either function. The callees take idev as
an argument and no longer call __in6_dev_get(), so the packet is now
dropped in one place, with SKB_DROP_REASON_IPV6DISABLED on both paths.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4817-1 linux-6.12 security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6528-1 linux security update
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9002-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9019-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9020-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9022-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9023-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9024-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9025-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9026-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9039-1 Linux kernel (Azure CVM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9040-1 Linux kernel (Low Latency NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9066-1 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.9, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.9, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv6: rpl: fix NULL dereference of idev in ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv() ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv() dereferences idev from __in6_dev_get() without a NULL check when reading idev->cnf.rpl_seg_enabled. When the device's MTU drops below IPV6_MIN_MTU, addrconf_ifdown() clears dev->ip6_ptr through RCU_INIT_POINTER(). A packet that passed the idev check in ip6_rcv_core() can then reach ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv() with dev->ip6_ptr already NULL. Reproduced by flooding the receiving interface with ping6 traffic while flapping its MTU between 1500 and 1200: BUG: KASAN: null-ptr-deref in ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv+0xb3/0x1070 Read of size 4 at addr 00000000000006b4 by task ping6/394 CPU: 2 UID: 0 PID: 394 Comm: ping6 Not tainted 7.2.0-rc7-micro-vm-dev-00095-g24ef02f934ee #240 PREEMPT(full) Call Trace: <IRQ> kasan_report+0xc6/0x100 ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv+0xb3/0x1070 ip6_protocol_deliver_rcu+0x759/0x9a0 ip6_input_finish+0xa8/0x1b0 ip6_input+0xe1/0x490 ipv6_rcv+0x33d/0x460 __netif_receive_skb_one_core+0xd6/0x130 process_backlog+0x2cc/0xa00 __napi_poll.constprop.0+0x56/0x270 net_rx_action+0x327/0x730 handle_softirqs+0x11e/0x630 do_softirq+0xb3/0xf0 </IRQ> Both ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv() and ipv6_srh_rcv() are called only from ipv6_rthdr_rcv(), which already has an idev lookup. Fix the NULL dereference on the RPL path by checking idev in ipv6_rthdr_rcv(), before it calls either function. The callees take idev as an argument and no longer call __in6_dev_get(), so the packet is now dropped in one place, with SKB_DROP_REASON_IPV6DISABLED on both paths.
Title ipv6: rpl: fix NULL dereference of idev in ipv6_rpl_srh_rcv()
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 30, 2026, 12:32 PM
Reserved
Sep 11, 2026, 7:38 PM
Status
Received
Published
Sep 11, 2026, 8:19 PM
Modified
Oct 30, 2026, 1:20 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Sep 11, 2026, 7:44 PM