In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
SUNRPC: fix gssx_dec_option_array error path bugs
Four coupled defects in the gssx XDR option-array decoder make the
error paths unsafe: a NULL deref in the caller, a refcount leak on
the decoded group_info, and a latent use-after-free that the leak
fix would otherwise expose.
gssx_dec_option_array() sets oa->count = 1 before allocating
oa->data. If that allocation fails, -ENOMEM is returned with
oa->count == 1 and oa->data == NULL. All other error paths jump
to free_oa: which frees oa->data and NULLs it but also leaves
oa->count == 1. The caller trusts the count:
gssp_accept_sec_context_upcall()
gssx_dec_accept_sec_context()
gssx_dec_option_array() /* fails, count=1 data=NULL */
data = res.options.data[0].value /* NULL deref */
Independently, free_creds: releases the partially decoded svc_cred
with a bare kfree(creds). gssx_dec_linux_creds() installs a
groups_alloc() result into creds->cr_group_info; that object is
kvmalloc-backed and refcounted, and only put_group_info() reaches
kvfree(). A plain kfree(creds) drops the wrapper and leaks the
group_info allocation.
The natural fix for the leak is to call free_svc_cred(creds) before
kfree(creds), but free_svc_cred() invokes put_group_info() on
creds->cr_group_info unconditionally when non-NULL. The existing
out_free_groups: path in gssx_dec_linux_creds() already called
groups_free() on that pointer without clearing it, so once
free_svc_cred() is wired in, the subsequent put_group_info() would
touch freed memory.
Fix all four together:
- Move the oa->count = 1 assignment below the oa->data allocation
so it is never set when oa->data is NULL.
- Reset oa->count to 0 at free_oa: so count and data stay
coherent and the caller sees an empty option array.
- Call free_svc_cred(creds) before kfree(creds) at free_creds:
so the refcounted cr_group_info is released. free_svc_cred()
either NULL-guards each field explicitly (cr_group_info has
an if() check) or delegates to a helper that is NULL-safe
itself (kfree for the string fields, gss_mech_put() which
guards with if(gm) at gss_mech_switch.c:342), so it is safe
to call on a partially decoded svc_cred where only
cr_uid/cr_gid/cr_group_info have been written and everything
else is zero from kzalloc.
- In gssx_dec_linux_creds()'s out_free_groups: path, release
cr_group_info with put_group_info() rather than groups_free()
so the teardown matches free_svc_cred()'s refcount-aware path,
and clear the pointer so a later free_svc_cred() on the same
creds does not release it a second time.
SUNRPC: fix gssx_dec_option_array error path bugs
Four coupled defects in the gssx XDR option-array decoder make the
error paths unsafe: a NULL deref in the caller, a refcount leak on
the decoded group_info, and a latent use-after-free that the leak
fix would otherwise expose.
gssx_dec_option_array() sets oa->count = 1 before allocating
oa->data. If that allocation fails, -ENOMEM is returned with
oa->count == 1 and oa->data == NULL. All other error paths jump
to free_oa: which frees oa->data and NULLs it but also leaves
oa->count == 1. The caller trusts the count:
gssp_accept_sec_context_upcall()
gssx_dec_accept_sec_context()
gssx_dec_option_array() /* fails, count=1 data=NULL */
data = res.options.data[0].value /* NULL deref */
Independently, free_creds: releases the partially decoded svc_cred
with a bare kfree(creds). gssx_dec_linux_creds() installs a
groups_alloc() result into creds->cr_group_info; that object is
kvmalloc-backed and refcounted, and only put_group_info() reaches
kvfree(). A plain kfree(creds) drops the wrapper and leaks the
group_info allocation.
The natural fix for the leak is to call free_svc_cred(creds) before
kfree(creds), but free_svc_cred() invokes put_group_info() on
creds->cr_group_info unconditionally when non-NULL. The existing
out_free_groups: path in gssx_dec_linux_creds() already called
groups_free() on that pointer without clearing it, so once
free_svc_cred() is wired in, the subsequent put_group_info() would
touch freed memory.
Fix all four together:
- Move the oa->count = 1 assignment below the oa->data allocation
so it is never set when oa->data is NULL.
- Reset oa->count to 0 at free_oa: so count and data stay
coherent and the caller sees an empty option array.
- Call free_svc_cred(creds) before kfree(creds) at free_creds:
so the refcounted cr_group_info is released. free_svc_cred()
either NULL-guards each field explicitly (cr_group_info has
an if() check) or delegates to a helper that is NULL-safe
itself (kfree for the string fields, gss_mech_put() which
guards with if(gm) at gss_mech_switch.c:342), so it is safe
to call on a partially decoded svc_cred where only
cr_uid/cr_gid/cr_group_info have been written and everything
else is zero from kzalloc.
- In gssx_dec_linux_creds()'s out_free_groups: path, release
cr_group_info with put_group_info() rather than groups_free()
so the teardown matches free_svc_cred()'s refcount-aware path,
and clear the pointer so a later free_svc_cred() on the same
creds does not release it a second time.
Metrics
Affected Vendors & Products
Advisories
No advisories yet.
Fixes
Solution
No solution given by the vendor.
Workaround
No workaround given by the vendor.
References
History
Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Weaknesses | CWE-476 | |
| References |
| |
| Metrics |
threat_severity
|
cvssV3_1
|
Fri, 11 Sep 2026 23:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: SUNRPC: fix gssx_dec_option_array error path bugs Four coupled defects in the gssx XDR option-array decoder make the error paths unsafe: a NULL deref in the caller, a refcount leak on the decoded group_info, and a latent use-after-free that the leak fix would otherwise expose. gssx_dec_option_array() sets oa->count = 1 before allocating oa->data. If that allocation fails, -ENOMEM is returned with oa->count == 1 and oa->data == NULL. All other error paths jump to free_oa: which frees oa->data and NULLs it but also leaves oa->count == 1. The caller trusts the count: gssp_accept_sec_context_upcall() gssx_dec_accept_sec_context() gssx_dec_option_array() /* fails, count=1 data=NULL */ data = res.options.data[0].value /* NULL deref */ Independently, free_creds: releases the partially decoded svc_cred with a bare kfree(creds). gssx_dec_linux_creds() installs a groups_alloc() result into creds->cr_group_info; that object is kvmalloc-backed and refcounted, and only put_group_info() reaches kvfree(). A plain kfree(creds) drops the wrapper and leaks the group_info allocation. The natural fix for the leak is to call free_svc_cred(creds) before kfree(creds), but free_svc_cred() invokes put_group_info() on creds->cr_group_info unconditionally when non-NULL. The existing out_free_groups: path in gssx_dec_linux_creds() already called groups_free() on that pointer without clearing it, so once free_svc_cred() is wired in, the subsequent put_group_info() would touch freed memory. Fix all four together: - Move the oa->count = 1 assignment below the oa->data allocation so it is never set when oa->data is NULL. - Reset oa->count to 0 at free_oa: so count and data stay coherent and the caller sees an empty option array. - Call free_svc_cred(creds) before kfree(creds) at free_creds: so the refcounted cr_group_info is released. free_svc_cred() either NULL-guards each field explicitly (cr_group_info has an if() check) or delegates to a helper that is NULL-safe itself (kfree for the string fields, gss_mech_put() which guards with if(gm) at gss_mech_switch.c:342), so it is safe to call on a partially decoded svc_cred where only cr_uid/cr_gid/cr_group_info have been written and everything else is zero from kzalloc. - In gssx_dec_linux_creds()'s out_free_groups: path, release cr_group_info with put_group_info() rather than groups_free() so the teardown matches free_svc_cred()'s refcount-aware path, and clear the pointer so a later free_svc_cred() on the same creds does not release it a second time. | |
| Title | SUNRPC: fix gssx_dec_option_array error path bugs | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Projects
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MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-09-11T19:44:20.424Z
Reserved: 2026-09-11T19:38:34.722Z
Link: CVE-2026-89544
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2026-09-11T20:19:37.670
Modified: 2026-09-11T20:19:37.670
Link: CVE-2026-89544
Redhat
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses