Null Pointer Dereference Vulnerability in Linux Kernel Affecting DMA Fencing Operations

CVE-2026-74418

What is CVE-2026-74418?

A vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel related to the handling of dma-fence operations, potentially leading to null pointer dereference. Specifically, the issues lie within the tracepoints for dma-fence signaling, where a null fence->ops pointer may be dereferenced after being reset. This could allow attackers to manipulate kernel operations improperly. The fix involves utilizing safe string getters for various tracepoints, and judiciously repositioning tracepoints to maintain essential driver and timeline name information while avoiding null pointer dereferences.

References