CVE-2026-98400

s390/ipl: Fix NULL deref in kdump without re-IPL parm block

Published Oct 14, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

s390/ipl: Fix NULL deref in kdump without re-IPL parm block

Some IPL types, like HMC FTP boot or QEMU direct kernel boot, might
not provide an IPL parameter block. In this case, reipl_type_init()
selects IPL_TYPE_UNKNOWN, and reipl_block_actual remains NULL.

kdump passes the re-IPL parameter block to the dump kernel through
os_info. Before commit 3b9678472bab ("s390/ipl: correct kdump reipl
block checksum calculation"), the os_info entry was added only for
IPL types which initialized reipl_block_actual. That commit moved the
os_info update to machine_crash_shutdown(), making it unconditional. As
a result, set_os_info_reipl_block() dereferences reipl_block_actual for
IPL_TYPE_UNKNOWN. This may happen to work by chance when address zero
contains readable lowcore data and the resulting empty os_info entry is
ignored by the dump kernel.

Skip the os_info update when no re-IPL parameter block is available.
Kdump then collect the dump and reboot without setting re-IPL parameter
block.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
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
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9091-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

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'}

threat_severity

Low

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: s390/ipl: Fix NULL deref in kdump without re-IPL parm block Some IPL types, like HMC FTP boot or QEMU direct kernel boot, might not provide an IPL parameter block. In this case, reipl_type_init() selects IPL_TYPE_UNKNOWN, and reipl_block_actual remains NULL. kdump passes the re-IPL parameter block to the dump kernel through os_info. Before commit 3b9678472bab ("s390/ipl: correct kdump reipl block checksum calculation"), the os_info entry was added only for IPL types which initialized reipl_block_actual. That commit moved the os_info update to machine_crash_shutdown(), making it unconditional. As a result, set_os_info_reipl_block() dereferences reipl_block_actual for IPL_TYPE_UNKNOWN. This may happen to work by chance when address zero contains readable lowcore data and the resulting empty os_info entry is ignored by the dump kernel. Skip the os_info update when no re-IPL parameter block is available. Kdump then collect the dump and reboot without setting re-IPL parameter block.
Title s390/ipl: Fix NULL deref in kdump without re-IPL parm block
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 19, 2026, 9:18 AM
Reserved
Sep 25, 2026, 10:25 AM
Status
Received
Published
Oct 14, 2026, 2:17 PM
Modified
Oct 19, 2026, 10:18 AM
Severity
Low
Public date
Oct 14, 2026, 12:00 AM