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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2026-23438

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: mvpp2: guard flow control update with global_tx_fc in buffer switching mvpp2_bm_switch_buffers…

Published Apr 3, 2026 · catalog updated Oct 15, 2026 · linux kernel

Check if you run it

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-23438. EPSS is 0.13%. Act only if a listed version of linux kernel is installed.

Gaps on this record

  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
Severity
Medium5.5
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
0.13%
Remediation
Version ranges on file
Affected products
cpe linux/linux kernel

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: mvpp2: guard flow control update with global_tx_fc in buffer switching mvpp2_bm_switch_buffers() unconditionally calls mvpp2_bm_pool_update_priv_fc() when switching between per-cpu and shared buffer pool modes. This function programs CM3 flow control registers via mvpp2_cm3_read()/mvpp2_cm3_write(), which dereference priv->cm3_base without any NULL check. When the CM3 SRAM resource is not present in the device tree (the third reg entry added by commit 60523583b07c ("dts: marvell: add CM3 SRAM memory to cp11x ethernet device tree")), priv->cm3_base remains NULL and priv->global_tx_fc is false. Any operation that triggers mvpp2_bm_switch_buffers(), for example an MTU change that crosses the jumbo frame threshold, will crash: Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000000 Mem abort info: ESR = 0x0000000096000006 EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits pc : readl+0x0/0x18 lr : mvpp2_cm3_read.isra.0+0x14/0x20 Call trace: readl+0x0/0x18 mvpp2_bm_pool_update_fc+0x40/0x12c mvpp2_bm_pool_update_priv_fc+0x94/0xd8 mvpp2_bm_switch_buffers.isra.0+0x80/0x1c0 mvpp2_change_mtu+0x140/0x380 __dev_set_mtu+0x1c/0x38 dev_set_mtu_ext+0x78/0x118 dev_set_mtu+0x48/0xa8 dev_ifsioc+0x21c/0x43c dev_ioctl+0x2d8/0x42c sock_ioctl+0x314/0x378 Every other flow control call site in the driver already guards hardware access with either priv->global_tx_fc or port->tx_fc. mvpp2_bm_switch_buffers() is the only place that omits this check. Add the missing priv->global_tx_fc guard to both the disable and re-enable calls in mvpp2_bm_switch_buffers(), consistent with the rest of the driver.

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • cpe linux/linux kernel5.12
  • cpe linux/linux kernel7.0
  • cpe linux/linux kernel< 5.15.203
  • cpe linux/linux kernel< 6.1.167
  • cpe linux/linux kernel< 6.12.78
  • cpe linux/linux kernel< 6.18.20
  • cpe linux/linux kernel< 6.19.10
  • cpe linux/linux kernel< 6.6.130

How to fix CVE-2026-23438

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-23438. EPSS is 0.13%. Act only if a listed version of linux kernel is installed.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with linux/linux kernel 5.12; linux/linux kernel 7.0; linux/linux kernel < 5.15.203; linux/linux kernel < 6.1.167. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference. EPSS 0.13%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Apr 3, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Detected

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: mvpp2: guard flow control update with global_tx_fc in buffer switching mvpp2_bm_switch_buffers() unconditionally calls mvpp2_bm_pool_update_priv_fc() when switching between per-cpu and shared buffer pool modes. This function programs CM3 flow control registers via mvpp2_cm3_read()/mvpp2_cm3_write(), which dereference priv->cm

  2. Oct 15, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Updated

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: mvpp2: guard flow control update with global_tx_fc in buffer switching mvpp2_bm_switch_buffers() unconditionally calls mvpp2_bm_pool_update_priv_fc() when switching between per-cpu and shared buffer pool modes. This function programs CM3 flow control registers via mvpp2_cm3_read()/mvpp2_cm3_write(), which dereference priv->cm

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-23438

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-23438

    30-day exploitation probability 0.1%

    first.org
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2026-23438

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: mvpp2: guard flow control update with global_tx_fc in buffer switching mvpp2_bm_switch_buffers() unconditionally calls mvpp2_bm_pool_update_priv_fc() when switching between per-cpu and shared buffer pool m

    nvd.nist.gov

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 18, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.