# CVE-2026-23197: i2c: imx: preserve error state in block data length handler

> A flaw in the Linux kernel i2c driver causes an endless read loop and system crash when handling invalid block data lengths.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 14 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-23197, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23197, GHSA-hp2v-w3xq-4jvv, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-23197

## What is CVE-2026-23197?

CVE-2026-23197 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 14 Feb 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

i2c: imx: preserve error state in block data length handler

When a block read returns an invalid length, zero or >I2C_SMBUS_BLOCK_MAX,
the length handler sets the state to IMX_I2C_STATE_FAILED. However,
i2c_imx_master_isr() unconditionally overwrites this with
IMX_I2C_STATE_READ_CONTINUE, causing an endless read loop that overruns
buffers and crashes the system.

Guard the state transition to preserve error states set by the length
handler.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-23197?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-23197?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-23197 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23197 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-23197 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-23197 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 14 Feb 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23197 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23197/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23197/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23197
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23197
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-23197

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23197/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.