Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
apparmor: fix NULL pointer dereference in __unix_needs_revalidation
When receiving file descriptors via SCM_RIGHTS, both the socket pointer
and the socket's sk pointer can be NULL during socket setup or teardown,
causing NULL pointer dereferences in __unix_needs_revalidation().
This is a regression in AppArmor 5.0.0 (kernel 6.17+) where the new
__unix_needs_revalidation() function was added without proper NULL checks.
The crash manifests as:
BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0x0000000000000018
RIP: aa_file_perm+0xb7/0x3b0 (or +0xbe/0x3b0, +0xc0/0x3e0)
Call Trace:
apparmor_file_receive+0x42/0x80
security_file_receive+0x2e/0x50
receive_fd+0x1d/0xf0
scm_detach_fds+0xad/0x1c0
The function dereferences sock->sk->sk_family without checking if either
sock or sock->sk is NULL first.
Add NULL checks for both sock and sock->sk before accessing sk_family.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.17 | 6.18.14 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | linux | 6.18.14-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 25.10 | linux | 6.17.0-29.29 | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | linux-aws +1 | 6.17.0-1015.15 | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | linux-azure-fde | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | linux-gcp | 6.17.0-1018.19 | USN-8374-1 |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | linux-oracle | 6.17.0-1014.14 | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | linux-raspi | 6.17.0-1017.17 | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | linux-realtime | 6.17.0-1013.15 | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | linux-riscv | 6.17.0-29.29.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-aws-6.17 | 6.17.0-1017.17~24.04.1 | USN-8374-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-azure-6.17 | 6.17.0-1015.15~24.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-gcp-6.17 | 6.17.0-1018.19~24.04.1 | USN-8374-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-hwe-6.17 | 6.17.0-29.29~24.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-nvidia-6.17 | 6.17.0-1026.26 | USN-8508-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-oem-6.17 | 6.17.0-1023.23 | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-oracle-6.17 | 6.17.0-1014.14~24.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv +15 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv-6.17 | 6.17.0-29.29.1~24.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +32 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime-6.14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime-6.17 | 6.17.0-1013.15~24.04.1 | — |
Advisories 3
- WID-SEC-2026-1700 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-8374-1 linux-aws-6.17, linux-gcp, linux-gcp-6.17 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 7, 2026
- USN-8508-1 linux-nvidia-6.17 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 7, 2026