CVE-2026-23148 – A race condition in the Linux kernel's NVMe ove... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2026-23148?

CVE-2026-23148 has a CVSS score of N/A (Unknown). A race condition in the Linux kernel's NVMe over Fabrics target subsystem can cause a NULL pointer dereference, leading to kernel panic and system crash. This affects systems using the nvmet module, particularly those with NVMe storage configurations. The vulnerability requires specific conditions but can result in denial of service.

📋 TL;DR

A race condition in the Linux kernel's NVMe over Fabrics target subsystem can cause a NULL pointer dereference, leading to kernel panic and system crash. This affects systems using the nvmet module, particularly those with NVMe storage configurations. The vulnerability requires specific conditions but can result in denial of service.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel

Versions: Specific kernel versions containing the vulnerable nvmet code (exact range depends on when the bug was introduced and fixed)

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ✅ No

Notes: Only vulnerable when the nvmet (NVMe over Fabrics target) module is loaded and in use. Systems without NVMe storage configurations or without nvmet enabled are not affected.

⚠️ Manual Verification Required

This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.

Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).

🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.

Recommended Actions:

Review the CVE details at NVD
Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Kernel panic leading to complete system crash and denial of service, potentially causing data loss or corruption if the system is performing critical storage operations.

🟠

Likely Case

System crash or kernel panic when the race condition is triggered during NVMe storage operations, resulting in temporary denial of service until system reboot.

🟢

If Mitigated

No impact if the system is not using the nvmet module or if the patch has been applied.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - This is a kernel-level vulnerability that requires local access or specific NVMe storage operations to trigger.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Internal systems using NVMe over Fabrics storage configurations could experience crashes affecting business operations.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Exploitation requires triggering a specific race condition during NVMe storage operations. This is not a remote code execution vulnerability but can cause denial of service.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commits 0fcee2cfc4b2e16e62ff8e0cc2cd8dd24efad65e, 68207ceefd71cc74ce4e983fa9bd10c3122e349b, or ee10b06980acca1d46e0fa36d6fb4a9578eab6e4

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0fcee2cfc4b2e16e62ff8e0cc2cd8dd24efad65e

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update to a patched kernel version from your distribution vendor. 2. Reboot the system to load the new kernel. 3. Verify the nvmet module loads correctly after reboot.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable nvmet module

Linux

Prevent loading of the vulnerable nvmet module if NVMe over Fabrics is not required

echo 'blacklist nvmet' > /etc/modprobe.d/disable-nvmet.conf
rmmod nvmet

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Monitor systems for kernel panic logs related to nvmet or blk_cgroup_bio_start
Implement redundancy for critical systems using NVMe storage to minimize impact of potential crashes

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check if nvmet module is loaded: lsmod | grep nvmet. If loaded, check kernel version against patched versions.

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version includes the fix commits and test NVMe storage operations without crashes.

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel panic messages containing 'blk_cgroup_bio_start' or 'NULL pointer dereference'
System crash logs related to nvmet operations

Network Indicators:

Unexpected NVMe storage disconnections or timeouts

SIEM Query:

kernel_panic AND (blk_cgroup_bio_start OR nvmet)

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2026-23148

CVSS v3 Score: N/A (Unknown)

Published: February 14, 2026

Last Updated: February 18, 2026

🔗 References

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