CVE-2026-23474: mtd: Avoid boot crash in RedBoot partition table parser
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
mtd: Avoid boot crash in RedBoot partition table parser
Given CONFIGFORTIFYSOURCE=y and a recent compiler, commit 439a1bcac648 ("fortify: Use builtindynamicobjectsize() when available") produces the warning below and an oops.
Searching for RedBoot partition table in 50000000.flash at offset 0x7e0000 ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: lib/stringhelpers.c:1035 at 0xc029e04c, CPU#0: swapper/0/1 memcmp: detected buffer overflow: 15 byte read of buffer size 14 Modules linked in: CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 1 Comm: swapper/0 Not tainted 6.19.0 #1 NONE
As Kees said, "'names' is pointing to the final 'namelen' many bytes of the allocation ... 'namelen' could be basically any length at all. This fortify warning looks legit to me -- this code used to be reading beyond the end of the allocation."
Since the size of the dynamic allocation is calculated with strlen() we can use strcmp() instead of memcmp() and remain within bounds.
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-23474?
CVE-2026-23474 has a medium severity rating of 5.5 according to the CVSS 3.1 metrics.
What is CVE-2026-23474 about?
CVE-2026-23474 addresses a vulnerability in the Linux kernel related to the RedBoot partition table parser that can cause a boot crash.
How do I fix CVE-2026-23474?
To fix CVE-2026-23474, ensure that your Linux kernel is updated to the latest version where this vulnerability has been resolved.
Is my system exposed to CVE-2026-23474?
If you are using an affected version of the Linux kernel and have CONFIG_FORTIFY_SOURCE enabled, your system may be exposed to CVE-2026-23474.
What consequences can CVE-2026-23474 have on my system?
CVE-2026-23474 can lead to a boot crash which may disrupt system availability and functionality.