Linux: NULL Pointer Dereference
CVE-2026-43113 is a high-severity NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited from the same local network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 6509dbece7339dbc8980c706b9d623119a6de105, a8a11a876f0a97061ee5d9e61d0f5a0df7e241c7, e0dc1ad870d6788b049bfe1511ac75b2333a7550 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.24% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to 6509dbece7339dbc8980c706b9d623119a6de105 or a8a11a876f0a97061ee5d9e61d0f5a0df7e241c7 or e0dc1ad870d6788b049bfe1511ac75b2333a7550 or b6ba1eacf276063ebeefbbae8056043c24f2efaf, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.6.136 or 6.12.83 or 6.18.24 or 6.19.14, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2f01a1f58889fbfeb68b1bc1b52e4197f3333490 up to, but not including, 6509dbece7339dbc8980c706b9d623119a6de105; 2f01a1f58889fbfeb68b1bc1b52e4197f3333490 up to, but not including, a8a11a876f0a97061ee5d9e61d0f5a0df7e241c7; 2f01a1f58889fbfeb68b1bc1b52e4197f3333490 up to, but not including, e0dc1ad870d6788b049bfe1511ac75b2333a7550; 2f01a1f58889fbfeb68b1bc1b52e4197f3333490 up to, but not including, b6ba1eacf276063ebeefbbae8056043c24f2efaf; 2f01a1f58889fbfeb68b1bc1b52e4197f3333490 up to, but not including, df15adc692a802636dd3f258fc7cca8bf7a0ed9a; 2f01a1f58889fbfeb68b1bc1b52e4197f3333490 up to, but not including, 8d7465be5163a923ee5d7459719ef5a021c1584a; 2f01a1f58889fbfeb68b1bc1b52e4197f3333490 up to, but not including, 26ee518695c484f75e3606d631278e84bd24ae02; 2f01a1f58889fbfeb68b1bc1b52e4197f3333490 up to, but not including, 0fd56fad9c56356e7fa7a7c52e7ecbf807a44eb0; and 1 more ranges | 6509dbece7339dbc8980c706b9d623119a6de105, a8a11a876f0a97061ee5d9e61d0f5a0df7e241c7, e0dc1ad870d6788b049bfe1511ac75b2333a7550, b6ba1eacf276063ebeefbbae8056043c24f2efaf, df15adc692a802636dd3f258fc7cca8bf7a0ed9a, 8d7465be5163a923ee5d7459719ef5a021c1584a |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 2.6.31 up to, but not including, 6.6.136; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.83; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.24; 6.19 up to, but not including, 6.19.14; 7.0 | 6.6.136, 6.12.83, 6.18.24, 6.19.14 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- AdjacentThe attacker must be on the same local network segment.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: wl1251: validate packet IDs before indexing tx_frames wl1251_tx_packet_cb() uses the firmware completion ID directly to index the fixed 16-entry wl->tx_frames[] array. The ID is a raw u8 from the completion block, and the callback does not currently verify that it fits the array before dereferencing it. Reject completion IDs that fall outside wl->tx_frames[] and keep the existing NULL check in the same guard. This keeps the fix local to the trust boundary and avoids touching the rest of the completion flow.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: NULL Pointer Dereference
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- For any pointers that could have been modified or provided from a function that can return NULL, check the pointer for NULL before use. When working with a multithreaded or otherwise asynchronous environment, ensure that proper locking APIs are used to lock before the check, and unlock when it has finished.
- Select a programming language that is not susceptible to these issues.
- Check the results of all functions that return a value and verify that the value is non-null before acting upon it.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0fd56fad9c56356e7fa7a7c52e7ecbf807a44eb0
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/26ee518695c484f75e3606d631278e84bd24ae02
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/8d7465be5163a923ee5d7459719ef5a021c1584a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b6ba1eacf276063ebeefbbae8056043c24f2efaf
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/df15adc692a802636dd3f258fc7cca8bf7a0ed9a
Other references
Recent NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
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