Pointer State Vulnerability in Linux Kernel

CVE-2026-74720

What is CVE-2026-74720?

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel arises when handling scalar arithmetic operations with pointers. Specifically, the operation 'scalar += pointer' in the function adjust_ptr_min_max_vals() inadequately preserves the pointer state between registers. This oversight results in the destination register inheriting the pointer state from the source pointer without fully considering the origin of the pointer, which can complicate the tracking of pointer provenance. To address this issue, it is essential to utilize the caller's temporary offset to retain the scalar operand, thus ensuring the integrity of pointer-related fields while maintaining the consistency of parent identity records.

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