CVE-2026-64120: net: ethtool: fix NULL pointer dereference in phy_reply_size

Published Jul 19, 2026
·
Updated

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

net: ethtool: fix NULL pointer dereference in phyreplysize

In phypreparedata(), several strings such as 'name', 'drvname', 'upstreamsfpname', and 'downstreamsfpname' are allocated using kstrdup(). However, these allocations were not checked for failure.

If kstrdup() fails for 'name', it returns NULL while the function continues. This leads to a kernel NULL pointer dereference and panic later in phyreplysize() when it unconditionally calls strlen() on the NULL pointer.

While other strings like 'upstreamsfpname' might be checked before access in certain code paths, failing to handle these allocations consistently can lead to incomplete data reporting or hidden bugs.

Fix this by adding proper NULL checks for all kstrdup() calls in phypreparedata() and implement a centralized error handling path using goto labels to ensure all previously allocated resources are freed on failure.

Affected Software

6 affected components
Linux Linux kernel
Linux Linux kernel>=6.16<6.18.34
Linux Linux kernel>=6.19<7.0.11
Linux Linux kernel=7.1-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=7.1-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=7.1-rc3

Event History

Jul 19, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·03:40 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·03:40 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·04:17 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-64120?

CVE-2026-64120 is classified with a risk score of 48.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-64120?

To resolve CVE-2026-64120, update to the latest version of the Linux kernel where the vulnerability has been patched.

3

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-64120?

CVE-2026-64120 is a null pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel.

4

Which component of the Linux kernel is affected by CVE-2026-64120?

CVE-2026-64120 affects the ethtool component of the Linux kernel.

5

When was CVE-2026-64120 published?

CVE-2026-64120 was published on July 19, 2026.

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