High · published January 25, 2026
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
nvme-tcp: fix NULL pointer dereferences in nvmet_tcp_build_pdu_iovec
Commit efa56305908b ("nvmet-tcp: Fix a kernel panic when host sends an invalid H2C PDU length")
added ttag bounds checking and data_offset
validation in nvmet_tcp_handle_h2c_data_pdu(), but it did not validate
whether the command's data structures (cmd->req.sg and cmd->iov) have
been properly initialized before processing H2C_DATA PDUs.
The nvmet_tcp_build_pdu_iovec() function dereferences these pointers
without NULL checks. This can be triggered by sending H2C_DATA PDU
immediately after the ICREQ/ICRESP handshake, before
sending a CONNECT command or NVMe write command.
Attack vectors that trigger NULL pointer dereferences:
1. H2C_DATA PDU sent before CONNECT → both pointers NULL
2. H2C_DATA PDU for READ command → cmd->req.sg allocated, cmd->iov NULL
3. H2C_DATA PDU for uninitialized command slot → both pointers NULL
The fix validates both cmd->req.sg and cmd->iov before calling
nvmet_tcp_build_pdu_iovec(). Both checks are required because:
- Uninitialized commands: both NULL
- READ commands: cmd->req.sg allocated, cmd->iov NULL
- WRITE commands: both allocated
| Product | Versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| linux/linux_kernel | ≥ 5.4.268, < 5.5 | 5.5 |
| linux/linux_kernel | ≥ 5.10.209, < 5.10.249 | 5.10.249 |
| linux/linux_kernel | ≥ 5.15.148, < 5.15.199 | 5.15.199 |
| linux/linux_kernel | ≥ 6.1.75, < 6.1.162 | 6.1.162 |
| linux/linux_kernel | ≥ 6.6.14, < 6.6.122 | 6.6.122 |
| linux/linux_kernel | ≥ 6.7.2, < 6.12.67 | 6.12.67 |
| linux/linux_kernel | ≥ 6.13, < 6.18.7 | 6.18.7 |
| linux/linux_kernel | all versions | — |
| linux/linux_kernel | all versions | — |
| linux/linux_kernel | all versions | — |
| linux/linux_kernel | all versions | — |
| linux/linux_kernel | all versions | — |