Linux Kernel up to 6.6.156/6.12.109/6.18.51/7.2.5 nvmet nvmet_auth_negotiate/nvmet_execute_auth_send tl/halen/dhlen out-of-bounds

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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Current Exploit Price (≈)
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CTI Interest Score
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6.0$0-$5k0.00+

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability categorized as critical has been discovered in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.156/6.12.109/6.18.51/7.2.5. This vulnerability affects the function nvmet_auth_negotiate/nvmet_execute_auth_send of the component nvmet. Executing a manipulation of the argument tl/halen/dhlen can lead to out-of-bounds. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2026-90230. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. No exploit is available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.156/6.12.109/6.18.51/7.2.5 and classified as critical. This vulnerability affects the function nvmet_auth_negotiate/nvmet_execute_auth_send of the component nvmet. The manipulation of the argument tl/halen/dhlen with an unknown input leads to a out-of-bounds vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-125. The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nvmet: fix heap out-of-bounds read in nvmet_auth_negotiate() nvmet_execute_auth_send() allocates the DH-HMAC-CHAP message buffer with the host-supplied transfer length (tl) and hands it to nvmet_auth_negotiate() without passing tl along. nvmet_auth_negotiate() then reads the negotiate header and, for each of the halen hash identifiers and dhlen DH group identifiers, indexes into the fixed idlist[60] array (hashes at idlist[0..halen), groups at idlist[30..]). Neither the transfer length nor halen/dhlen is validated. A malicious or non-conformant host can report a tl smaller than the negotiate structure, or a halen/dhlen larger than the array (both are u8, up to 255), making the loops read past the end of the allocated buffer (heap out-of-bounds read). The sibling nvmet_auth_reply() already validates tl against the structure size; the negotiate path did not. Pass tl into nvmet_auth_negotiate(), reject a tl that does not cover the negotiate data plus one full protocol descriptor, and reject halen/dhlen larger than NVME_AUTH_DHCHAP_MAX_DH_IDS.

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-90230 since 09/11/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be initiated remotely. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 09/17/2026).

Upgrading to version 6.6.157, 6.12.110, 6.18.52, 7.2.6 or 7.3-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 89ff11b72f38976f3b5aea23a5228ee05e277209/aaac783950b17c57df9b6f7344747cacb1a407ed/c38a8186326799957d293d370136c128cd113916/7b81e4d2230e3d2d372c826180c4ef0efc244f31/5bb96cc218835769ab74ec7f3ea2bf81fbffe955 is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

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Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.0

VulDB Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Temp Score: 6.0
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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💳💳💳💳💳💳
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Out-of-bounds
CWE: CWE-125 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.6.157/6.12.110/6.18.52/7.2.6/7.3-rc1
Patch: 89ff11b72f38976f3b5aea23a5228ee05e277209/aaac783950b17c57df9b6f7344747cacb1a407ed/c38a8186326799957d293d370136c128cd113916/7b81e4d2230e3d2d372c826180c4ef0efc244f31/5bb96cc218835769ab74ec7f3ea2bf81fbffe955

Timelineinfo

09/11/2026 CVE reserved
09/17/2026 +6 days Advisory disclosed
09/17/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
09/17/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-90230 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-90230
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-406750

Entryinfo

Created: 09/17/2026 20:55
Changes: 09/17/2026 20:55 (60)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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