Linux Kernel up to 6.19.5 ixp4xx_get_ts_info null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.19.5. This affects the function ixp4xx_get_ts_info. Executing a manipulation can lead to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-43173. There is not any exploit available. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.19.5. This vulnerability affects the function ixp4xx_get_ts_info. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ethernet: xscale: Check for PTP support properly In ixp4xx_get_ts_info() ixp46x_ptp_find() is called unconditionally despite this feature only existing on ixp46x, leading to the following splat from tcpdump: root@OpenWrt:~# tcpdump -vv -X -i eth0 (...) Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 00000238 when read (...) Call trace: ptp_clock_index from ixp46x_ptp_find+0x1c/0x38 ixp46x_ptp_find from ixp4xx_get_ts_info+0x4c/0x64 ixp4xx_get_ts_info from __ethtool_get_ts_info+0x90/0x108 __ethtool_get_ts_info from __dev_ethtool+0xa00/0x2648 __dev_ethtool from dev_ethtool+0x160/0x234 dev_ethtool from dev_ioctl+0x2cc/0x460 dev_ioctl from sock_ioctl+0x1ec/0x524 sock_ioctl from sys_ioctl+0x51c/0xa94 sys_ioctl from ret_fast_syscall+0x0/0x44 (...) Segmentation fault Check for ixp46x in ixp46x_ptp_find() before trying to set up PTP to avoid this. To avoid altering the returned error code from ixp4xx_hwtstamp_set() which before this patch was -EOPNOTSUPP, we return -EOPNOTSUPP from ixp4xx_hwtstamp_set() if ixp46x_ptp_find() fails no matter the error code. The helper function ixp46x_ptp_find() helper returns -ENODEV.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-43173 since 05/01/2026. The exploitation appears to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

Upgrading to version 5.15.202, 6.1.165, 6.6.128, 6.12.75, 6.18.16 or 6.19.6 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 144dde3146985b25fa84d4e4b7c3d11e0f5fc5a4/5195b10c34b8993194ad12ad7d8f54d861be084b/322437972f0a712767f6920ad34aba25f2e9b942/21d1e80d0d6e7d0c3cd8b1e001ed1fa92fb9f3f5/2d74412dfd3621552a394d55cc3dd26a7cbf608e/cbecebd35909f6cd0f6fb773f0fb73da99e02f8c/594163ea88a03bdb412063af50fc7177ef3cbeae is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.15.201
• 6.1.164
• 6.6.127
• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3
• 6.12.4
• 6.12.5
• 6.12.6
• 6.12.7
• 6.12.8
• 6.12.9
• 6.12.10
• 6.12.11
• 6.12.12
• 6.12.13
• 6.12.14
• 6.12.15
• 6.12.16
• 6.12.17
• 6.12.18
• 6.12.19
• 6.12.20
• 6.12.21
• 6.12.22
• 6.12.23
• 6.12.24
• 6.12.25
• 6.12.26
• 6.12.27
• 6.12.28
• 6.12.29
• 6.12.30
• 6.12.31
• 6.12.32
• 6.12.33
• 6.12.34
• 6.12.35
• 6.12.36
• 6.12.37
• 6.12.38
• 6.12.39
• 6.12.40
• 6.12.41
• 6.12.42
• 6.12.43
• 6.12.44
• 6.12.45
• 6.12.46
• 6.12.47
• 6.12.48
• 6.12.49
• 6.12.50
• 6.12.51
• 6.12.52
• 6.12.53
• 6.12.54
• 6.12.55
• 6.12.56
• 6.12.57
• 6.12.58
• 6.12.59
• 6.12.60
• 6.12.61
• 6.12.62
• 6.12.63
• 6.12.64
• 6.12.65
• 6.12.66
• 6.12.67
• 6.12.68
• 6.12.69
• 6.12.70
• 6.12.71
• 6.12.72
• 6.12.73
• 6.12.74
• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.19.0
• 6.19.1
• 6.19.2
• 6.19.3
• 6.19.4
• 6.19.5

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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Entryinfo

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