CVE-2026-45845: net/sched: taprio: fix NULL pointer dereference in class dump

Published May 27, 2026
·
Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net/sched: taprio: fix NULL pointer dereference in class dump

When a TAPRIO child qdisc is deleted via RTMDELQDISC, tapriograft() is called with new == NULL and stores NULL into q->qdiscs[cl - 1]. Subsequent RTMGETTCLASS dump operations walk all classes via tapriowalk() and call tapriodumpclass(), which calls taprioleaf() returning the NULL pointer, then dereferences it to read child->handle, causing a kernel NULL pointer dereference.

The bug is reachable with namespace-scoped CAPNETADMIN on any kernel with CONFIGNETSCHTAPRIO enabled. On systems with unprivileged user namespaces enabled, an unprivileged local user can trigger a kernel panic by creating a taprio qdisc inside a new network namespace, grafting an explicit child qdisc, deleting it, and requesting a class dump. The RTMGETTCLASS dump itself requires no capability.

Oops: general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xdffffc0000000007: 0000 [#1] SMP KASAN NOPTI KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000038-0x000000000000003f] RIP: 0010:tapriodumpclass (net/sched/schtaprio.c:2478) Call Trace: <TASK> tcfilltclass (net/sched/schapi.c:1966) qdiscclassdump (net/sched/schapi.c:2326) tapriowalk (net/sched/schtaprio.c:2514) tcdumptclassqdisc (net/sched/schapi.c:2352) tcdumptclassroot (net/sched/schapi.c:2370) tcdumptclass (net/sched/schapi.c:2431) rtnldumpit (net/core/rtnetlink.c:6864) netlinkdump (net/netlink/afnetlink.c:2325) rtnetlinkrcvmsg (net/core/rtnetlink.c:6959) netlinkrcvskb (net/netlink/afnetlink.c:2550) </TASK>

Fix this by substituting &noopqdisc when new is NULL in tapriograft(), a common pattern used by other qdiscs (e.g., multiqgraft()) to ensure the q->qdiscs[] slots are never NULL. This makes control-plane dump paths safe without requiring individual NULL checks.

Since the data-plane paths (taprioenqueue and tapriodequeuefromtxq) previously had explicit NULL guards that would drop/skip the packet cleanly, update those checks to test for &noopqdisc instead. Without this, packets would reach taprioenqueueone() which increments the root qdisc's qlen and backlog before calling the child's enqueue; noopqdisc drops the packet but those counters are never rolled back, permanently inflating the root qdisc's statistics.

After this change old can be a valid qdisc, NULL, or &noopqdisc. Only call qdiscput(old) in the first case to avoid decreasing noopqdisc's refcount, which was never increased.

Affected Software

7 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel
Microsoft azl3 kernel 6.6.139.1-1<6.6.141.1-1
6.6.141.1-1
Linux Linux kernel>=6.6<6.6.141
Linux Linux kernel>=6.7<6.12.91
Linux Linux kernel>=6.13<6.18.33
Linux Linux kernel>=6.19<7.0.10
Linux Linux kernel=7.1-rc1

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade to a fixed release to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.6.141.1-1
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade Linux kernel (net/sched: taprio) to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Patch KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000038-0x000000000000003f]

Event History

May 27, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·09:24 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·09:24 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·11:16 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
May 28, 2026
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·08:09 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·08:09 AM
Affected Software
Updated
via Microsoft·08:09 AM
DescriptionSeverity

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-45845?

CVE-2026-45845 has a risk score of 25, indicating a low severity level.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-45845?

To fix CVE-2026-45845, update your Linux kernel to the latest stable version where the vulnerability has been resolved.

3

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-45845?

CVE-2026-45845 is classified as a Null Pointer Dereference vulnerability.

4

What components of the Linux kernel are affected by CVE-2026-45845?

CVE-2026-45845 affects the net/sched module specifically related to the taprio implementation.

5

What can happen if CVE-2026-45845 is exploited?

Exploitation of CVE-2026-45845 may lead to a denial of service due to a NULL pointer dereference.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203