CVE-2026-89726: lib/ucs2_string.c: fix out-of-bounds read in ucs2_strnlen()

Published Sep 11, 2026
·
Updated

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

lib/ucs2string.c: fix out-of-bounds read in ucs2strnlen()

Patch series "lib/ucs2string.c: fix out-of-bounds read in ucs2strnlen()", v2.

This series fixes an off-by-one out-of-bounds read in ucs2strnlen().

The first patch is the real fix, the second patch comes as a bonus and fixes the code indentation.

This patch (of 2):

ucs2strnlen() checks the current character before checking whether the caller-provided maximum length has been reached. If the input is not NUL-terminated within that bound, the loop can read one ucs2chart past the limit.

Test the length before dereferencing to prevent an off-by-one out-of-bounds read.

Affected Software

1 affected component
Linux Kernel

Event History

Sep 11, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·07:46 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·07:46 PM
Description

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What input condition triggers the out-of-bounds read?

The issue occurs when ucs2_strnlen() receives input that is not NUL-terminated within the caller-provided maximum length. The function can then read one ucs2_char_t beyond that limit.

2

What is the corrective change?

The fix checks whether the maximum length has been reached before dereferencing the current character. This prevents the off-by-one read beyond the supplied bound.

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