KernelScan.io

HIGH Introduced in 5.0

nvmet-tcp H2CData Loop

CVE-2026-89968

CVSS 7.5 / 10.0 NVD

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

KernelScan AI7.5HIGH

01

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nvmet-tcp: reject unsolicited H2CData PDUs nvmet_tcp_handle_h2c_data_pdu() accepts an H2CData PDU after only checking that its TTAG is a valid in-range command index and that the command's data buffers are mapped. It never checks that the target has actually solicited that data by sending an R2T for the command. A remote host can abuse this. It submits a write command that takes the R2T path and, before the target transmits the R2T, sends an H2CData PDU for that command's tag. The data completes the command early, and when the command then fails synchronously (e.g. a length mismatch caught by nvmet_check_transfer_len()), it is completed a second time. Each completion calls nvmet_tcp_queue_response(), so the same command is added to queue->resp_list twice while it is still linked; the second llist_add() makes the node point to itself (lentry->next == lentry). nvmet_tcp_process_resp_list() then walks that self-referential node and adds the command to resp_send_list twice. With CONFIG_DEBUG_LIST this trips the "list_add double add" check (kernel BUG); without it the loop never terminates and the nvmet_tcp workqueue wedges (soft-lockup). It is remotely triggerable and needs no authentication on an allow_any_host subsystem. Track whether an R2T has been transmitted for a command and reject an H2CData PDU that arrives before it. The flag is cleared on command reuse (nvmet_tcp_get_cmd() zeroes cmd->flags) and stays set across the multiple H2CData PDUs of a single solicited transfer.

02

Engine v0.6.0

Risk summary

A remote, unauthenticated attacker can send a crafted NVMe over TCP PDU sequence to a target configured with allow_any_host, causing the target kernel's nvmet-tcp workqueue to enter an infinite loop and soft-lockup. This denies service to all NVMe-oF clients on the affected target. Any system exposing the nvmet-tcp port to a network an attacker can reach is at risk.

Affecteddrivers/nvme/target/tcp.c (nvmet-tcp)

Vulnerability analysis

The NVMe over TCP target accepts host-to-controller data PDUs without verifying that it has actually solicited that data by sending a Ready-to-Transfer PDU first. A remote host can submit a write command and then immediately send a data PDU for that command before the target transmits its ready-to-transfer. The premature data completes the command once; when the command subsequently fails a length check it is completed a second time. Each completion queues the same command onto a response list, and the second insertion makes the list node point to itself, creating a self-referential loop. The response-processing workqueue then walks that node forever, wedging the queue in a soft-lockup. The fix tracks whether a ready-to-transfer has been sent for each command and rejects any data PDU that arrives before that flag is set. The flag is cleared when a command slot is reused so it correctly persists across the multiple data PDUs of a single solicited transfer. The vulnerability is reachable over the network by any host that can connect to the nvmet-tcp port; on subsystems configured to accept any remote host no authentication is required.

03

BranchIntroducedFixed inPatch commit
5.105.05.10.27002341ee424fb
5.155.05.15.221cade124c06f8
6.15.06.1.18814beef7d4f12
6.125.06.12.1102b71f9193e3d
6.185.06.18.51cf1484d9a75d
6.65.06.6.1579fb527103e53
7.25.07.2.51cbed7538946
mainline5.07.3db62b35cbca0
cip/5.105.05.10.271-cip7802341ee424fb
cip/6.15.06.1.189-cip6114beef7d4f12
cip/6.1-rt5.06.1.189-cip61-rt3214beef7d4f12
cip/6.125.06.12.111-cip322b71f9193e3d

04

State of the newest release of each Civil Infrastructure Platform SLTS tree, from CIP's own fix records.

CIP treeState
cip/6.12Fixed in 6.12.111-cip32
cip/6.1Fixed in 6.1.189-cip61
cip/6.1-rtFixed in 6.1.189-cip61-rt32
cip/5.10Fixed in 5.10.271-cip78
cip/5.10-rtAffected — no CIP fix yet (latest 5.10.268-cip77-rt34)