CVE-2026-22981: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-8p5m-xghc-7954
Share
CVSS 5.5
CWE-476
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2026-22981 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.5) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is null.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2026-22981 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2026-22981
GHSA Identifier GHSA-8p5m-xghc-7954
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.5
CWE Classification CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2026-22981

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2026-22981, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference, where the product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is null. In Software, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: idpf: detach and close netdevs while handling a reset Protect the reset path from callbacks by setting the netdevs to detached state and close any netdevs in UP state until the reset handling has completed. During a reset, the driver will de-allocate resources for the vport, and there is no guarantee that those will recover, which is why the existing vport_ctrl_lock does not provide sufficient protection. idpf_detach_and_close() is called right before reset handling. If the reset handling succeeds, the netdevs state is recovered via call to idpf_attach_and_open(). If the reset handling fails the netdevs remain down. The detach/down calls are protected with RTNL lock to avoid racing with callbacks. On the recovery side the attach can be done without holding the RTNL lock as there are no callbacks expected at that point, due to detach/close always being done first in that flow. The previous logic restoring the netdevs state based on the IDPF_VPORT_UP_REQUESTED flag in the init task is not needed anymore, hence the removal of idpf_set_vport_state(). The IDPF_VPORT_UP_REQUESTED is still being used to restore the state of the netdevs following the reset, but has no use outside of the reset handling flow. idpf_init_hard_reset() is converted to void, since it was used as such and there is no error handling being done based on its return value. Before this change, invoking hard and soft resets simultaneously will cause the driver to lose the vport state: ip -br a <inf> UP echo 1 > /sys/class/net/ens801f0/device/reset& \ ethtool -L ens801f0 combined 8 ip -br a <inf> DOWN ip link set <inf> up ip -br a <inf> DOWN Also in case of a failure in the reset path, the netdev is left exposed to external callbacks, while vport resources are not initialized, leading to a crash on subsequent ifup/down: [408471.398966] idpf 0000:83:00.0: HW reset detected [408471.411744] idpf 0000:83:00.0: Device HW Reset initiated [408472.277901] idpf 0000:83:00.0: The driver was unable to contact the device's firmware. Check that the FW is running. Driver state= 0x2 [408508.125551] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000078 [408508.126112] #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode [408508.126687] #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page [408508.127256] PGD 2aae2f067 P4D 0 [408508.127824] Oops: Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI ... [408508.130871] RIP: 0010:idpf_stop+0x39/0x70 [idpf] ... [408508.139193] Call Trace: [408508.139637] <TASK> [408508.140077] __dev_close_many+0xbb/0x260 [408508.140533] __dev_change_flags+0x1cf/0x280 [408508.140987] netif_change_flags+0x26/0x70 [408508.141434] dev_change_flags+0x3d/0xb0 [408508.141878] devinet_ioctl+0x460/0x890 [408508.142321] inet_ioctl+0x18e/0x1d0 [408508.142762] ? _copy_to_user+0x22/0x70 [408508.143207] sock_do_ioctl+0x3d/0xe0 [408508.143652] sock_ioctl+0x10e/0x330 [408508.144091] ? find_held_lock+0x2b/0x80 [408508.144537] __x64_sys_ioctl+0x96/0xe0 [408508.144979] do_syscall_64+0x79/0x3d0 [408508.145415] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e [408508.145860] RIP: 0033:0x7f3e0bb4caff

References

NVD — CVE-2026-22981 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-22981
git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e281e1155... WEB
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e281e1155fc476c571c0bd2ffbfe28ab829a5c3
git.kernel.org/stable/c/9ad3d0836d... WEB
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9ad3d0836d8bc1a0f0b4bf56efc56312a9e64b97
git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac122f5fb0... WEB
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac122f5fb050903b3d262001562c452be95eaf70

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-22981?
CVE-2026-22981 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2026-22981?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-22981?
CVE-2026-22981 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2026-22981?
CVE-2026-22981 is classified under CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference (The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2026-22981?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-8p5m-xghc-7954",
  "modified" : "2026-04-02T12:31:04Z",
  "published" : "2026-01-23T18:31:28Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-22981" ],
  "details" : "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nidpf: detach and close netdevs while handling a reset\n\nProtect the reset path from callbacks by setting the netdevs to detached\nstate and close any netdevs in UP state until the reset handling has\ncompleted. During a reset, the driver will de-allocate resources for the\nvport, and there is no guarantee that those will recover, which is why the\nexisting vport_ctrl_lock does not provide sufficient protection.\n\nidpf_detach_and_close() is called right before reset handling. If the\nreset handling succeeds, the netdevs state is recovered via call to\nidpf_attach_and_open(). If the reset handling fails the netdevs remain\ndown. The detach/down calls are protected with RTNL lock to avoid racing\nwith callbacks. On the recovery side the attach can be done without\nholding the RTNL lock as there are no callbacks expected at that point,\ndue to detach/close always being done first in that flow.\n\nThe previous logic restoring the netdevs state based on the\nIDPF_VPORT_UP_REQUESTED flag in the init task is not needed anymore, hence\nthe removal of idpf_set_vport_state(). The IDPF_VPORT_UP_REQUESTED is\nstill being used to restore the state of the netdevs following the reset,\nbut has no use outside of the reset handling flow.\n\nidpf_init_hard_reset() is converted to void, since it was used as such and\nthere is no error handling being done based on its return value.\n\nBefore this change, invoking hard and soft resets simultaneously will\ncause the driver to lose the vport state:\nip -br a\n<inf>\tUP\necho 1 > /sys/class/net/ens801f0/device/reset& \\\nethtool -L ens801f0 combined 8\nip -br a\n<inf>\tDOWN\nip link set <inf> up\nip -br a\n<inf>\tDOWN\n\nAlso in case of a failure in the reset path, the netdev is left\nexposed to external callbacks, while vport resources are not\ninitialized, leading to a crash on subsequent ifup/down:\n[408471.398966] idpf 0000:83:00.0: HW reset detected\n[408471.411744] idpf 0000:83:00.0: Device HW Reset initiated\n[408472.277901] idpf 0000:83:00.0: The driver was unable to contact the device's firmware. Check that the FW is running. Driver state= 0x2\n[408508.125551] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000078\n[408508.126112] #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode\n[408508.126687] #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page\n[408508.127256] PGD 2aae2f067 P4D 0\n[408508.127824] Oops: Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI\n...\n[408508.130871] RIP: 0010:idpf_stop+0x39/0x70 [idpf]\n...\n[408508.139193] Call Trace:\n[408508.139637]  <TASK>\n[408508.140077]  __dev_close_many+0xbb/0x260\n[408508.140533]  __dev_change_flags+0x1cf/0x280\n[408508.140987]  netif_change_flags+0x26/0x70\n[408508.141434]  dev_change_flags+0x3d/0xb0\n[408508.141878]  devinet_ioctl+0x460/0x890\n[408508.142321]  inet_ioctl+0x18e/0x1d0\n[408508.142762]  ? _copy_to_user+0x22/0x70\n[408508.143207]  sock_do_ioctl+0x3d/0xe0\n[408508.143652]  sock_ioctl+0x10e/0x330\n[408508.144091]  ? find_held_lock+0x2b/0x80\n[408508.144537]  __x64_sys_ioctl+0x96/0xe0\n[408508.144979]  do_syscall_64+0x79/0x3d0\n[408508.145415]  entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e\n[408508.145860] RIP: 0033:0x7f3e0bb4caff",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-22981"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e281e1155fc476c571c0bd2ffbfe28ab829a5c3"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9ad3d0836d8bc1a0f0b4bf56efc56312a9e64b97"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac122f5fb050903b3d262001562c452be95eaf70"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-476" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2026-01-23T16:15:54Z"
  }
}