keys: Check the authorization payload in process keyring searches
Severity and exploitation
KEV coverage does not rule out exploitation.
Severity
unknownCVSS measures technical severity, not the likelihood of an attack.
Known exploitation
Not listed in the checked CISA KEV catalog
Absence from CISA KEV does not rule out attacks.
Public exploit
Not established by this record
Missing evidence does not mean no public exploit exists.
Remediation
Fix status not established
No structured fix or guidance is available here. Check the latest publisher advisory.
What this means
The Linux kernel is vulnerable due to a NULL pointer dereference in search_process_keyrings_rcu(). Affected versions include those prior to 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.161, 6.12.115, 6.18.60, 7.2.14, and 7.3.1. An attacker with local access may exploit this weakness.
Summarized by @cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast. Verify details against the original sources.Attack conditions
Load the payload with dereference_key_rcu() and require a non-NULL result before validating the authorization key and searching its saved credentials.
Excerpt from the original source description below.
Review supporting sources →Affected versions
Check the exact model, release, and any platform requirements against your installation.
Linux · Linux
Linux
9 ranges
Linux · Linux
Linux
Compare with this publisher’s ranges. This does not inspect your installation.
affected
e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735 → before 14fb6fad526b35a7ebd121f1dd313abe652e0aa6
git versions
e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735 → before 458cf9715af6aff3ac8d2ec60bd59e9d6236fd0f
git versions
e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735 → before 7d3d2fffe933e538472ccafe5bbc7109488b9ce3
git versions
e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735 → before 26949c2e4c461e9e620e935bc22717f36a40b615
git versions
e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735 → before 984a178d54515779a1bee100b92a6cee8777c830
git versions
e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735 → before b86db7993051d05810601654e886a1e78e1fa495
git versions
e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735 → before b4dfda438fee3c6faa15d9b421c373de6a0e476f
git versions
e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735 → before 49f4e768540d25d8852ef750313afda6a4774871
git versions
e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735 → before 0a0ec45bf577a9b4d4960567f20d3877ef480de9
git versions
Other versions: unaffected
Linux · Linux
Linux
11 ranges
Linux · Linux
Linux
Compare with this publisher’s ranges. This does not inspect your installation.
affected
5.3
unaffected
0 → before 5.3
semver versions
5.10.273 → through 5.10.*
semver versions
5.15.224 → through 5.15.*
semver versions
6.1.191 → through 6.1.*
semver versions
6.6.161 → through 6.6.*
semver versions
6.12.115 → through 6.12.*
semver versions
6.18.60 → through 6.18.*
semver versions
7.2.14 → through 7.2.*
semver versions
7.3.1 → through 7.3.*
semver versions
7.4-rc1 → through *
original_commit_for_fix versions
Other versions: affected
What to do
Compare your installed product and version with the affected versions above. A matching product name alone does not confirm exposure.
No structured fix or remediation guidance is available here. Check the full source description and vendor’s latest advisory for a patch or workaround; do not assume another version is safe.
cve.new guidance unless attributed to a publisher. This page does not inspect your installation.
Public exploit evidence
No public exploit reference is identified in the imported evidence. This is not a claim that no exploit exists.
Original source description
Read the full publisher description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
keys: Check the authorization payload in process keyring searches
An authorization payload and its saved credentials must remain valid while search_process_keyrings_rcu() searches the requestor's keyrings. The function validates the authorization key, then separately loads payload.data[0] and unconditionally reads rka->cred. Validation does not prevent request_key_auth_revoke() from clearing the payload.
A request-key helper can assume authority and fork a descendant that inherits the authorization key. If the descendant misses in its own keyrings, it falls back to the saved requestor credentials. Successful target instantiation invalidates the authorization key without clearing the payload. After the helper exits, UMH_WAIT_PROC returns to the requester, which calls complete_request_key() and revokes that key.
With the descendant paused after validation, the paths can interleave as follows:
- The descendant enters search_process_keyrings_rcu() under RCU and key_validate() succeeds.
- The helper instantiates the target, invalidates the authorization key, and exits.
- The requester resumes from UMH_WAIT_PROC, calls complete_request_key(), and revokes the authorization key. request_key_auth_revoke() sets its payload pointer to NULL.
- The descendant loads NULL and dereferences rka->cred.
This NULL dereference can oops the kernel. RCU delays payload disposal but does not prevent the pointer from being cleared.
Load the payload with dereference_key_rcu() and require a non-NULL result before validating the authorization key and searching its saved credentials. A non-NULL payload and its credentials remain alive for the caller's RCU read-side section; a cleared payload skips the fallback search and follows the existing error selection.
KASAN report as below:
Oops: general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xdffffc0000000005: 0000 [#1] SMP KASAN NOPTI
KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000028-0x000000000000002f]
RIP: 0010:search_process_keyrings_rcu+0x32b/0x790
References
9 sourcesInside the record
Evidence available
Describes the evidence in this view, not whether the product is safe.
Original records
CVE-2026-99225View the latest unmodified CVE JSON from the official source. It may be newer than this imported page.
cve.new JSON →Environment requirements
These conditions apply together as specified by the publisher. A matching product name alone does not establish exposure.
Linux · platform conditions
Any condition may hold
Vulnerable product
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*From (inclusive): 5.3
Before: 5.10.273
Vulnerable product
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*From (inclusive): 5.3
Before: 5.15.224
Vulnerable product
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*From (inclusive): 5.3
Before: 6.1.191
Vulnerable product
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*From (inclusive): 5.3
Before: 6.6.161
Vulnerable product
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*From (inclusive): 5.3
Before: 6.12.115
Vulnerable product
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*From (inclusive): 5.3
Before: 6.18.60
Vulnerable product
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*From (inclusive): 5.3
Before: 7.2.14
Vulnerable product
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*From (inclusive): 5.3
Before: 7.3.1
Vulnerable product
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*From (inclusive): 5.3
Before: 7.4-rc1
Original applicability statements
[
{
"nodes": [
{
"operator": "OR",
"negate": false,
"cpeMatch": [
{
"vulnerable": true,
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionStartIncluding": "5.3",
"versionEndExcluding": "5.10.273"
},
{
"vulnerable": true,
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionStartIncluding": "5.3",
"versionEndExcluding": "5.15.224"
},
{
"vulnerable": true,
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionStartIncluding": "5.3",
"versionEndExcluding": "6.1.191"
},
{
"vulnerable": true,
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionStartIncluding": "5.3",
"versionEndExcluding": "6.6.161"
},
{
"vulnerable": true,
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionStartIncluding": "5.3",
"versionEndExcluding": "6.12.115"
},
{
"vulnerable": true,
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionStartIncluding": "5.3",
"versionEndExcluding": "6.18.60"
},
{
"vulnerable": true,
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionStartIncluding": "5.3",
"versionEndExcluding": "7.2.14"
},
{
"vulnerable": true,
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionStartIncluding": "5.3",
"versionEndExcluding": "7.3.1"
},
{
"vulnerable": true,
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionStartIncluding": "5.3",
"versionEndExcluding": "7.4-rc1"
}
]
}
]
}
]Contributing organizations · 1
Assigning organization
Timeline
All times UTCAdvisory published
Publication date supplied by the source.
Source updated
Latest modification date supplied by the source.
Last imported by cve.new
Latest catalog import, not the date we first saw this advisory.
What changed
Follow changes- CVE · CVE-2026-99225
Observed 2026-11-03T19:50:20.716Z · upstream updated 2026-11-03T19:12:58.334Z
Product or version evidence changed
before
[ { "vendor": "Linux", "name": "Linux", "platforms": [], "versions": [ { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "14fb6fad526b35a7ebd121f1dd313abe652e0aa6", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "458cf9715af6aff3ac8d2ec60bd59e9d6236fd0f", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "7d3d2fffe933e538472ccafe5bbc7109488b9ce3", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "26949c2e4c461e9e620e935bc22717f36a40b615", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "984a178d54515779a1bee100b92a6cee8777c830", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "b86db7993051d05810601654e886a1e78e1fa495", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "b4dfda438fee3c6faa15d9b421c373de6a0e476f", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "49f4e768540d25d8852ef750313afda6a4774871", "versionType": "git" } ], "defaultStatus": "unaffected", "cpes": [], "source": "Linux", "url": "https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-99225" }, { "vendor": "Linux", "name": "Linux", "platforms": [], "versions": [ { "version": "5.3", "status": "affected" }, { "version": "0", "status": "unaffected", "lessThan": "5.3", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "5.10.273", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "5.10.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "5.15.224", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "5.15.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "6.1.191", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.1.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "6.6.161", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.6.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "6.12.115", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "6.18.60", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "7.2.14", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "7.3.1", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "7.3.*", "versionType": "semver" } ], "defaultStatus": "affected", "cpes": [], "source": "Linux", "url": "https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-99225" } ]after
[ { "vendor": "Linux", "name": "Linux", "platforms": [], "versions": [ { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "14fb6fad526b35a7ebd121f1dd313abe652e0aa6", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "458cf9715af6aff3ac8d2ec60bd59e9d6236fd0f", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "7d3d2fffe933e538472ccafe5bbc7109488b9ce3", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "26949c2e4c461e9e620e935bc22717f36a40b615", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "984a178d54515779a1bee100b92a6cee8777c830", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "b86db7993051d05810601654e886a1e78e1fa495", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "b4dfda438fee3c6faa15d9b421c373de6a0e476f", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "49f4e768540d25d8852ef750313afda6a4774871", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "e59428f721ee096d8a020504ea908a6f0d952735", "status": "affected", "lessThan": "0a0ec45bf577a9b4d4960567f20d3877ef480de9", "versionType": "git" } ], "defaultStatus": "unaffected", "cpes": [], "source": "Linux", "url": "https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-99225" }, { "vendor": "Linux", "name": "Linux", "platforms": [], "versions": [ { "version": "5.3", "status": "affected" }, { "version": "0", "status": "unaffected", "lessThan": "5.3", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "5.10.273", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "5.10.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "5.15.224", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "5.15.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "6.1.191", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.1.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "6.6.161", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.6.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "6.12.115", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "6.18.60", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "7.2.14", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "7.3.1", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "7.3.*", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "7.4-rc1", "status": "unaffected", "lessThanOrEqual": "*", "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix" } ], "defaultStatus": "affected", "cpes": [], "source": "Linux", "url": "https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-99225" } ]References changed
before
[ "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/14fb6fad526b35a7ebd121f1dd313abe652e0aa6", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/458cf9715af6aff3ac8d2ec60bd59e9d6236fd0f", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7d3d2fffe933e538472ccafe5bbc7109488b9ce3", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/26949c2e4c461e9e620e935bc22717f36a40b615", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/984a178d54515779a1bee100b92a6cee8777c830", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b86db7993051d05810601654e886a1e78e1fa495", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b4dfda438fee3c6faa15d9b421c373de6a0e476f", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/49f4e768540d25d8852ef750313afda6a4774871" ]
after
[ "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/14fb6fad526b35a7ebd121f1dd313abe652e0aa6", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/458cf9715af6aff3ac8d2ec60bd59e9d6236fd0f", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7d3d2fffe933e538472ccafe5bbc7109488b9ce3", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/26949c2e4c461e9e620e935bc22717f36a40b615", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/984a178d54515779a1bee100b92a6cee8777c830", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b86db7993051d05810601654e886a1e78e1fa495", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b4dfda438fee3c6faa15d9b421c373de6a0e476f", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/49f4e768540d25d8852ef750313afda6a4774871", "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0a0ec45bf577a9b4d4960567f20d3877ef480de9" ]
Environment requirements changed
before
[ { "source": "Linux", "statements": [ { "nodes": [ { "operator": "OR", "negate": false, "cpeMatch": [ { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "5.10.273" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "5.15.224" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "6.1.191" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "6.6.161" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "6.12.115" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "6.18.60" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "7.2.14" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "7.3.1" } ] } ] } ] } ]after
[ { "source": "Linux", "statements": [ { "nodes": [ { "operator": "OR", "negate": false, "cpeMatch": [ { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "5.10.273" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "5.15.224" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "6.1.191" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "6.6.161" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "6.12.115" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "6.18.60" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "7.2.14" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "7.3.1" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.3", "versionEndExcluding": "7.4-rc1" } ] } ] } ] } ]
Large field values are marked as truncated previews. Original source snapshots remain retained.
Showing up to 50 most recent observed changes.