Null Pointer Dereference in Linux Kernel's IPv4 and IPv6 Functions

CVE-2026-43099

What is CVE-2026-43099?

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel allows for a null pointer dereference when the IPv6 stack is inactive. Specifically, the function 'ipv6_stub->ipv6_dev_find()' may return an error pointer, leading to a kernel crash when passed to 'dev_hold()'. The fix involves silently discarding erroneous requests instead of misreporting by returning 'No Such Interface', ensuring system stability in scenarios where an IPv6 interface can't be identified.

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