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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2026-22998: Linux kernel · nvme-tcp: fix NULL pointer dereferences in nvmet_tcp_build_pdu_iovec

Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.5 High · fixed in fdecd3b6aac10d5a18d0dc500fe57f8648b66cd4 : patch Linux kernel soon.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:30 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.5High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.7% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 55% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CISA SSVC
Exploitation
No evidence of active exploitation and no public proof of concept
Automatable
Attackers can reliably automate steps 1–4 of the kill chain
Technical impact
Limited control over the software or limited information exposure

CISA SSVC assessment, 2026-06-16.

Patch
Available – fixed in fdecd3b6aac10d5a18d0dc500fe57f8648b66cd4, baabe43a0edefac8cd7b981ff87f967f6034dafe, 374b095e265fa27465f34780e0eb162ff1bef913 +10
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 25 Jan 2026

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq Mirage: no evidence on record.

    No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

What to do

Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
LinuxLinuxAffected
  • >=5.10.209 <5.10.249
  • >=5.15.148 <5.15.199
  • >=6.1.75 <6.1.162
  • >=6.6.14 <6.6.122
  • >=5.4.268 <5.5
  • >=6.7.2 <6.8
Fixed in
  • fdecd3b6aac10d5a18d0dc500fe57f8648b66cd4
  • baabe43a0edefac8cd7b981ff87f967f6034dafe
  • 374b095e265fa27465f34780e0eb162ff1bef913
  • 76abc83a9d25593c2b7613c549413079c14a4686
  • 32b63acd78f577b332d976aa06b56e70d054cbba
  • 7d75570002929d20e40110d6b03e46202c9d1bc7
  • 6.8
  • 6.6.122
  • 6.1.162
  • 5.15.199
  • 5.10.249
  • 5.5
  • 3def5243150716be86599c2a1767c29c68838b6d
LinuxLinuxAffected
  • =6.8
Fixed in–

AI-suggested

A fix is available and has been applied in Linux kernel versions 5.15.199, 6.1.162, 6.6.122, 6.8, and others. Users and administrators should upgrade to these fixed versions or later to mitigate the vulnerability. No other mitigation or workaround is indicated.

Description

CVE-2026-22998 is a high-severity vulnerability in the Linux kernel's nvme-tcp subsystem that causes NULL pointer dereferences leading to kernel panic. The flaw occurs because the nvmet_tcp_build_pdu_iovec() function dereferences uninitialized pointers without NULL checks when processing H2C_DATA PDUs sent prematurely or for uninitialized commands. This can be triggered by sending H2C_DATA PDUs before a CONNECT command or NVMe write command. The issue affects multiple Linux kernel versions and has been fixed by adding validation checks for these pointers.

References

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