CVE-2026-63888·Kernel vulnerability
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: scsi: target: iscsi: Fix CRC overread and double-free in iscsit_handle_text_cmd() Two latent bugs in the Text-phase handler, both present since the original LIO integration in commit e48354ce078c ("iscsi-target: Add iSCSI fabric support for target v4.1"): 1) DataDigest CRC buffer overread (4 bytes past text_in). text_in is kzalloc()'d at ALIGN(payload_length, 4). rx_size is then incremented by ISCSI_CRC_LEN to make room for the received DataDigest in the iovec, but the same (now-bumped) rx_size is passed as the buffer length to iscsit_crc_buf(): if (conn->conn_ops->DataDigest) { ... rx_size += ISCSI_CRC_LEN; } ... if (conn->conn_ops->DataDigest) { data_crc = iscsit_crc_buf(text_in, rx_size, 0, NULL); iscsit_crc_buf() walks rx_size bytes of text_in with crc32c(), so when DataDigest is negotiated it reads 4 bytes past the end of the text_in allocation. KASAN reproduces this directly on the unpatched mainline tree as slab-out-of-bounds in crc32c() called from the Text PDU path. The OOB bytes feed crc32c() and are then compared against the initiator-supplied checksum, so the value does not flow back to the attacker, but the kernel does read past the buffer on every Text PDU with DataDigest=CRC32C. Fix by passing the actual padded payload length (ALIGN(payload_length, 4)) that was used for the kzalloc(). 2) Stale cmd->text_in_ptr re-free (double-free) on ERL>0 bad DataDigest drop. On DataDigest mismatch with ErrorRecoveryLevel > 0 the handler silently drops the PDU and lets the initiator plug the CmdSN gap: kfree(text_in); return 0; cmd->text_in_ptr still points at the freed buffer. The next Text Request on the same ITT re-enters iscsit_setup_text_cmd(), which unconditionally does kfree(cmd->text_in_ptr); cmd->text_in_ptr = NULL; freeing the same pointer a second time. Session teardown via iscsit_release_cmd() has the same shape and hits the same double-free if the connection is dropped before a second Text Request arrives. On an unmodified mainline tree the bug-1 CRC overread fires first on the initial valid Text Request and perturbs the subsequent state, so #4 was isolated by building a kernel with only the bug-1 hunk of this patch applied plus temporary printk() observability around the three relevant kfree() sites. The observability prints are not part of this patch. On that build, a three-PDU Text Request sequence after login produces two back-to-back splats: BUG: KASAN: double-free in iscsit_setup_text_cmd+0x?? BUG: KASAN: double-free in iscsit_release_cmd+0x?? showing the same pointer freed in the ERL>0 drop path and again in iscsit_setup_text_cmd() (next Text Request on the same ITT) and once more in iscsit_release_cmd() (session teardown). On distro kernels with CONFIG_SLAB_FREELIST_HARDENED=y (default) the double-free becomes a remote kernel BUG(); on non-hardened kernels it corrupts the slab freelist. Fix by clearing cmd->text_in_ptr after the kfree() in the ERL>0 drop path. With both hunks applied #4 is directly observable on the stock tree without observability printks; fixing bug-1 alone would mask #4 less, not more, so the hunks are submitted together. Both fixes are one-liners. The Text PDU state machine is unchanged and the wire protocol is unaffected.
- Severity
- critical
- Software
- Kernel
- Fixed in
- 7.0.12
- Published
Affected versions
From: 6.19
Until: 7.0.12
Fixed in: 7.0.12
How to fix this CVE
Update your Linux kernel to version 7.0.12 or later to address two critical bugs in the iSCSI target text command handler. The first bug causes a 4-byte buffer overread during CRC validation, and the second introduces a double-free vulnerability when error recovery is enabled. Apply the kernel update immediately and reboot your system to ensure the patches are active.
sudo dnf update kernel kernel-devel && sudo rebootDefensia detects this vulnerability
How to check if you are affected
- Check installed kernel version: uname -r (compare against 7.0.12 or later)
- Verify if iSCSI target support is loaded: lsmod | grep -i iscsi_target
- Check if DataDigest is negotiated in iSCSI sessions: cat /proc/net/iet_session (if available) or check initiator logs for DataDigest=CRC32C negotiations
- Review kernel logs for KASAN warnings: sudo dmesg | grep -i 'slab-out-of-bounds\|double-free' (KASAN-enabled kernels only)
- Confirm patch applied: grep -r 'text_in_ptr' /boot/config-$(uname -r) or verify kernel source contains the fix commits
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-63888?
CVE-2026-63888 is a critical vulnerability in the Linux kernel's iSCSI target implementation affecting the Text-phase command handler. It combines a CRC validation buffer overread (reading 4 bytes beyond allocated memory) with a double-free condition triggered when error recovery is enabled and DataDigest mismatches occur.
Is CVE-2026-63888 being actively exploited?
No, CVE-2026-63888 is not listed as actively exploited by CISA, and no public exploits are currently available. However, the critical CVSS score of 9.8 and the nature of the vulnerabilities warrant immediate patching.
What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2026-63888?
Kernel versions 6.19 through 7.0.11 are affected. Version 7.0.12 and later contain the fixes.
How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2026-63888?
Run 'uname -r' and compare the output against version 7.0.12. If your kernel version is 6.19 or later but earlier than 7.0.12, your system is vulnerable.
Does Defensia detect CVE-2026-63888?
Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If Kernel is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2026-63888 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.
Related Kernel CVEs
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5118ea225fe63b44207ba88047e4866e1ea43812
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e22a1cdcc8277af4acc43710577157b77a02c5d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/778c2ab142c625a8a8afa570e0f9b7873f445d99
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/89c81d1228c00fa6dd91de6c1c5aa1ef8a7875e3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/badf178b76b0690851df00f4ca9cf2eb8eb0f963
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