{"id":"CVE-2026-72242","state":"PUBLISHED","title":"selinux: avoid sk_socket dereference in selinux_sctp_bind_connect()","description":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nselinux: avoid sk_socket dereference in selinux_sctp_bind_connect()\n\nselinux_sctp_bind_connect() dereferences sk->sk_socket to pass a\nstruct socket * to selinux_socket_bind() and\nselinux_socket_connect_helper().  However, when the hook is invoked\nfrom the ASCONF softirq path (sctp_process_asconf), there is no file\nreference guaranteeing that sk->sk_socket is non-NULL.  The setsockopt\ncallers (bindx, connectx, set_primary, sendmsg connect) hold a file\nreference and are not affected.\n\nBoth selinux_socket_bind() and selinux_socket_connect_helper()\nimmediately resolve sock->sk, never using the struct socket * for\nanything else.  Refactor the inner logic into helpers that take a\nstruct sock * directly so that selinux_sctp_bind_connect() never needs\nto touch sk->sk_socket at all.","publishedAt":"2026-08-15T05:54:30.378Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-16T18:45:04.443Z","severity":{"score":7.5,"label":"High","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","source":"Linux"},"assigner":"Linux","products":["Linux Linux"],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"e4f3b8db1b0c5e9f6374b8996d9e1888d1042b55","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"2fcaf133a8fd88b69f32ebaecad93fd302da828f","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"a4bc2fb8536488b37680c0b66c59434a4b7f8c2f","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"5d4d93f9bfbc997ffbb03cd6107e8f6979dbb9b4","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"cc8bd47b35eca82393cbad08b1cc86f02e034439","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"d61a80b17254be7230bc5544f8e62ddf21ab38e2","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"37d642b37ccdc31e1947c2ebc8dc38f03d4a0ceb","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"56acfeb10019e200ab6787d01f8d7cbe0f01526f","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["security/selinux/hooks.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"4.17","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"4.17","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.266","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.217","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.184","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.6.148","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.6.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.12.97","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.12.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.18.40","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.18.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.1.5","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"7.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.2","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["security/selinux/hooks.c"]}],"references":["https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e4f3b8db1b0c5e9f6374b8996d9e1888d1042b55","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2fcaf133a8fd88b69f32ebaecad93fd302da828f","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a4bc2fb8536488b37680c0b66c59434a4b7f8c2f","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5d4d93f9bfbc997ffbb03cd6107e8f6979dbb9b4","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cc8bd47b35eca82393cbad08b1cc86f02e034439","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d61a80b17254be7230bc5544f8e62ddf21ab38e2","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/37d642b37ccdc31e1947c2ebc8dc38f03d4a0ceb","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/56acfeb10019e200ab6787d01f8d7cbe0f01526f"],"weaknesses":[],"ingestedAt":"2026-10-29T20:12:58.252Z","source":{"repository":"CVEProject/cvelistV5","path":"cves/2026/72xxx/CVE-2026-72242.json","commit":"556c9d3a8cd17e218bb8e452ba7cd619a384ff47"},"raw":{"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2","cveMetadata":{"cveId":"CVE-2026-72242","state":"PUBLISHED","datePublished":"2026-08-15T05:54:30.378Z","dateUpdated":"2026-10-16T18:45:04.443Z","assignerShortName":"Linux","assignerOrgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateReserved":"2026-08-09T03:40:39.914Z"},"containers":{"cna":{"title":"selinux: avoid sk_socket dereference in selinux_sctp_bind_connect()","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nselinux: avoid sk_socket dereference in selinux_sctp_bind_connect()\n\nselinux_sctp_bind_connect() dereferences sk->sk_socket to pass a\nstruct socket * to selinux_socket_bind() and\nselinux_socket_connect_helper().  However, when the hook is invoked\nfrom the ASCONF softirq path (sctp_process_asconf), there is no file\nreference guaranteeing that sk->sk_socket is non-NULL.  The setsockopt\ncallers (bindx, connectx, set_primary, sendmsg connect) hold a file\nreference and are not affected.\n\nBoth selinux_socket_bind() and selinux_socket_connect_helper()\nimmediately resolve sock->sk, never using the struct socket * for\nanything else.  Refactor the inner logic into helpers that take a\nstruct sock * directly so that selinux_sctp_bind_connect() never needs\nto touch sk->sk_socket at all."}],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"e4f3b8db1b0c5e9f6374b8996d9e1888d1042b55","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"2fcaf133a8fd88b69f32ebaecad93fd302da828f","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"a4bc2fb8536488b37680c0b66c59434a4b7f8c2f","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"5d4d93f9bfbc997ffbb03cd6107e8f6979dbb9b4","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"cc8bd47b35eca82393cbad08b1cc86f02e034439","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"d61a80b17254be7230bc5544f8e62ddf21ab38e2","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"37d642b37ccdc31e1947c2ebc8dc38f03d4a0ceb","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d452930fd3b9031e59abfeddb2fa383f1403d61a","status":"affected","lessThan":"56acfeb10019e200ab6787d01f8d7cbe0f01526f","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["security/selinux/hooks.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"4.17","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"4.17","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.266","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.217","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.184","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.6.148","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.6.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.12.97","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.12.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.18.40","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.18.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.1.5","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"7.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.2","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["security/selinux/hooks.c"]}],"references":[{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e4f3b8db1b0c5e9f6374b8996d9e1888d1042b55"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2fcaf133a8fd88b69f32ebaecad93fd302da828f"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a4bc2fb8536488b37680c0b66c59434a4b7f8c2f"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5d4d93f9bfbc997ffbb03cd6107e8f6979dbb9b4"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cc8bd47b35eca82393cbad08b1cc86f02e034439"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d61a80b17254be7230bc5544f8e62ddf21ab38e2"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/37d642b37ccdc31e1947c2ebc8dc38f03d4a0ceb"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/56acfeb10019e200ab6787d01f8d7cbe0f01526f"}],"metrics":[{"cvssV3_1":{"version":"3.1","vectorString":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","baseScore":7.5,"baseSeverity":"HIGH"},"scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"AV:N - The vulnerable code runs in the SCTP receive softirq path when a remote peer sends an authenticated ASCONF chunk (ADD_IP/SET_PRIMARY) on an existing association; packets enter via sctp_rcv() from the network stack, not local syscalls.\nAC:L - An attacker with an established SCTP association controls ASCONF timing and can flood ADD_IP/SET_PRIMARY during the documented post-close() teardown window when sk_socket is NULL but associations still process shutdown-state packets.\nPR:N - Exploitation requires only the ability to complete a normal SCTP association handshake with a SELinux-protected peer; no Linux capabilities, root, or local shell access are needed to send the triggering ASCONF packets over the network.\nUI:N - No victim user action is required beyond normal server operation; the crash is triggered by attacker-sent ASCONF traffic arriving while the kernel processes socket teardown after application close(), not by opening files or clicking links.\nS:U - Impact is a kernel NULL pointer dereference panic/oops within the same kernel security domain; it does not cross VM, container, or IOMMU boundaries and is a standard remote denial-of-service against the host kernel.\nC:N - The failure mode is a direct NULL pointer dereference of sk->sk_socket before reading sock->sk; there is no use-after-free, out-of-bounds access, or memory corruption that could yield information disclosure.\nI:N - The bug does not write or corrupt memory; selinux_socket_bind()/connect_helper() crash immediately on the NULL socket pointer without modifying kernel data structures or achieving code execution.\nA:H - Dereferencing a NULL sk_socket in softirq causes a kernel oops/panic, crashing the entire system; this is repeatable whenever ASCONF arrives during the post-close() window on SCTP associations in shutdown states."}]}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"Linux","orgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateUpdated":"2026-08-23T12:47:05.827Z"},"cpeApplicability":[{"nodes":[{"operator":"OR","negate":false,"cpeMatch":[{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.17","versionEndExcluding":"5.10.266"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.17","versionEndExcluding":"5.15.217"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.17","versionEndExcluding":"6.1.184"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.17","versionEndExcluding":"6.6.148"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.17","versionEndExcluding":"6.12.97"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.17","versionEndExcluding":"6.18.40"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.17","versionEndExcluding":"7.1.5"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.17","versionEndExcluding":"7.2"}]}]}],"x_generator":{"engine":"bippy-1.2.0"}},"adp":[{"title":"CISA ADP Vulnrichment","metrics":[{"other":{"type":"ssvc","content":{"id":"CVE-2026-72242","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"Exploitation":"none"},{"Automatable":"yes"},{"Technical Impact":"partial"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-16T18:44:48.700097Z"}}}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"CISA-ADP","orgId":"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0","dateUpdated":"2026-10-16T18:45:04.443Z"}}]}}}