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CVE Record

CVE-2026-23060: crypto: authencesn - reject too-short AAD (assoclen<8) to match ESP/ESN spec

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: authencesn - reject too-short AAD (assoclen<8) to match ESP/ESN spec authencesn assumes an ESP/ESN-formatted AAD. When assoclen is shorter than the minimum expected length, crypto_authenc_esn_decrypt() can advance past the end of the destination scatterlist and trigger a NULL pointer dereference in scatterwalk_map_and_copy(), leading to a kernel panic (DoS). Add a minimum AAD length check to fail fast on invalid inputs.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A malformed input to Linux’s ESP/ESN cryptographic processing can crash the kernel, causing a denial of service and possible system or appliance outage. The supplied evidence does not indicate data theft, code execution, or active exploitation.

Executive priority

Prioritize internet-facing VPN gateways, security appliances, and other availability-critical Linux systems using this path. Use normal expedited patching unless exposure is confirmed or crashes are observed; the current evidence does not justify emergency critical-incident handling.

Technical view

The authencesn decrypt path assumes at least eight bytes of ESP/ESN additional authenticated data. A shorter assoclen can move beyond the destination scatterlist and cause a NULL pointer dereference in scatterwalk_map_and_copy. The published correction rejects undersized AAD before processing.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Linux systems where the affected authencesn ESP/ESN path is reachable. The supplied version list is ambiguous and lacks clear range semantics, so kernel package provenance and backported fixes must be checked with each distributor or product vendor.

Exploitation context

CISA KEV status is false, and the supplied sources provide no evidence of active exploitation or a public exploit. The crash requires invalid AAD reaching the vulnerable kernel crypto path; the bundle does not establish whether unauthenticated remote traffic can do so in every deployment.

Researcher notes

The demonstrated impact is kernel panic through an out-of-bounds scatterlist advance followed by NULL dereference. Confidentiality, integrity, privilege escalation, and general network reachability are not established. The affected-version data appears mechanically assembled and should not substitute for distributor package analysis.

Mitigation direction

  • Install a vendor kernel update containing the applicable cited stable fix.
  • Check Linux distributor guidance for backported fixes and package-specific version mappings.
  • Review the Siemens advisory if relevant products use embedded Linux.
  • Restrict unnecessary access to affected IPsec or ESP/ESN processing surfaces until updated.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory running kernels and identify systems using ESP/ESN with authencesn.
  • Map vendor kernel packages to the cited stable commits or vendor advisories.
  • Confirm updated systems reject AAD shorter than eight bytes without crashing.
  • Review kernel logs for related NULL dereferences or scatterwalk_map_and_copy panics.
  • Perform malformed-input validation only in an isolated, recoverable test environment.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
5

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

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CVE-2026-23060 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
9Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
siemens-SADPADP container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux104880a6b470958ddc30e139c41aa4f6ed3a5234, 104880a6b470958ddc30e139c41aa4f6ed3a5234, 104880a6b470958ddc30e139c41aa4f6ed3a5234, 104880a6b470958ddc30e139c41aa4f6ed3a5234, 104880a6b470958ddc30e139c41aa4f6ed3a5234, 104880a6b470958ddc30e139c41aa4f6ed3a5234, 104880a6b470958ddc30e139c41aa4f6ed3a5234unaffected
LinuxLinux4.3, 0, 5.10.249, 5.15.199, 6.1.162, 6.6.122, 6.12.68, 6.18.8, 6.19affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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