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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-74342

🗓️ 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 3 Views

Linux kernel kernfs NULL pointer dereference in SELinux LSM hook during cgroup mkdir causes kernel panic.

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
cve
CVE
CVE-2026-74342
15 Aug 202605:58
cve
cvelist
Cvelist
CVE-2026-74342 kernfs: link kn to its parent before the LSM init hook
15 Aug 202605:58
cvelist
debiancve
Debian CVE
CVE-2026-74342
15 Aug 202605:58
debiancve
euvd
EUVD
EUVD-2026-59489
15 Aug 202605:58
euvd
nvd
NVD
CVE-2026-74342
15 Aug 202606:22
nvd
osv
OSV
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-74342
15 Aug 202606:22
osv
ptsecurity
Positive Technologies
PT-2026-72778
15 Aug 202600:00
ptsecurity
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(335519);
  script_version("1.1");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/08/15");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2026-74342");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-74342");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - kernfs: link kn to its parent before the LSM init hook After commit 12e9e3cd03b5 (simpe_xattr: use per-sb
    cache), kernfs_xattr_set() and kernfs_xattr_get() compute the cache via kernfs_root(kn) before any other
    check. kernfs_root(kn) walks kn->__parent first and falls back to kn->dir.root, both of which are NULL on
    a freshly kmem_cache_zalloc()'d kn. kn->__parent was being set in kernfs_new_node() after
    __kernfs_new_node() returned, and kn->dir.root is set even later by kernfs_create_dir_ns() /
    kernfs_create_empty_dir(). The LSM kernfs_init_security hook is invoked from inside __kernfs_new_node(),
    before either field has been initialized. selinux_kernfs_init_security() ends with kernfs_xattr_set(kn,
    XATTR_NAME_SELINUX, ...). kernfs_root(kn) then returns NULL, and &((struct kernfs_root *)NULL)->xa_cache
    evaluates to offsetof(struct kernfs_root, xa_cache) which faults: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference,
    address: 00000000000000e0 RIP: 0010:simple_xattr_set+0x27/0x8b0 Call Trace: kernfs_xattr_set+0x63/0xb0
    selinux_kernfs_init_security+0x13b/0x270 security_kernfs_init_security+0x36/0xc0
    __kernfs_new_node+0x182/0x290 kernfs_new_node+0x80/0xc0 kernfs_create_dir_ns+0x2b/0xa0
    cgroup_create+0x116/0x380 cgroup_mkdir+0x7c/0x1a0 Reproduces deterministically at PID 1 (systemd) on an
    SELinux-enabled distro. The first cgroup mkdir under /sys/fs/cgroup with a labelled parent panics the
    kernel. The LSM hook's contract is that the kn_dir argument is the parent of the new kn, so kn->__parent
    should already point at kn_dir when the hook runs. Move kernfs_get(parent) and rcu_assign_pointer of
    kn->__parent from kernfs_new_node() into __kernfs_new_node() right before the security hook, and unwind
    the parent reference on the err_out4 path. kernfs_root(kn) then takes its parent branch during the hook
    and returns parent->dir.root, which is the correct root. This also closes the same-shape latent bug in
    kernfs_xattr_get() (which today is hidden only by kernfs_iattrs_noalloc() returning NULL on a fresh kn).
    (CVE-2026-74342)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2026-74342");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2026-74342");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2026/08/15");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2026/08/15");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:11.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:12.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:13.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:linux");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Debian Linux-11", "Host/OS/Debian Linux-12", "Host/OS/Debian Linux-13");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Debian Linux-12": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "12",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "btrfs-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "cdrom-core-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "ext4-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "fat-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "isofs-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "jfs-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "kernel-image-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc-6.1"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.1.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-source"},
          {"reference": "linux-source-6.1"},
          {"reference": "linux-support-6.1.0"},
          {"reference": "loop-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "nic-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "nic-shared-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "nic-wireless-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "pata-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "ppp-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "scsi-core-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "scsi-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "scsi-nic-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "serial-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "usb-serial-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "xfs-modules-6.1.0-50-alpha-generic-di"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Debian Linux-11": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "11",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "bpftool"},
          {"reference": "btrfs-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "cdrom-core-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "hyperv-daemons"},
          {"reference": "kernel-image-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "libcpupower-dev"},
          {"reference": "libcpupower1"},
          {"reference": "linux-bootwrapper-5.10.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-config-5.10"},
          {"reference": "linux-cpupower"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc-5.10"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-5.10.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-kbuild-5.10"},
          {"reference": "linux-libc-dev"},
          {"reference": "linux-perf"},
          {"reference": "linux-perf-5.10"},
          {"reference": "linux-source"},
          {"reference": "linux-source-5.10"},
          {"reference": "linux-support-5.10.0"},
          {"reference": "loop-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "nic-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "nic-shared-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "nic-wireless-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "pata-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "ppp-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "scsi-core-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "scsi-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "scsi-nic-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "serial-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "usb-serial-modules-5.10.0-32-alpha-generic-di"},
          {"reference": "usbip"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Debian Linux-13": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "13",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "bpftool"},
          {"reference": "hyperv-daemons"},
          {"reference": "intel-sdsi"},
          {"reference": "libcpupower-dev"},
          {"reference": "libcpupower1"},
          {"reference": "linux-bpf-dev"},
          {"reference": "linux-config-6.12"},
          {"reference": "linux-cpupower"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc-6.12"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-4kc-malta"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-5kc-malta"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-4kc-malta"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-5kc-malta"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-alpha-generic"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-alpha-smp"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-amd64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-arm64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-arm64-16k"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-armmp"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-armmp-lpae"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-cloud-amd64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-cloud-arm64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-common"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-common-rt"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-loong64"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-loongson-3"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-m68k"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-mips32r2eb"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-mips32r2el"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-mips64r2eb"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-6.12.94+deb13-mips64r2el"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');

var third_party_support = get_kb_item('Host/OS/extended-third-party');
if (!empty_or_null(third_party_support)) {
    var third_party_vendors = distro_constraints_values['third_party'];
    if (!empty_or_null(third_party_vendors)) {
        var vendor;
        foreach vendor (third_party_vendors) {
            if (vendor == third_party_support) exit(0, 'A third party management patch is available for this vulnerability from ' + vendor + '.\n');
        }
    }
}

var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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15 Aug 2026 00:00Current
5.5Medium risk
Vulners AI Score5.5
EPSS0.00155
3