# CVE-2026-63805: crypto: nx - fix nx_crypto_ctx_exit argument

> A type confusion error in the Linux kernel's NX crypto driver causes a kernel oops and denial of service when closing AF_ALG sockets.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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:** 19 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-63805, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-63805, GHSA-3m8h-qjhw-m7c5, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-63805, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-63805, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-13-CVE-2026-63805, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-63805, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-63805

## What is CVE-2026-63805?

CVE-2026-63805 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 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:

crypto: nx - fix nx_crypto_ctx_exit argument

nx_crypto_ctx_shash_exit calls nx_crypto_ctx_exit with crypto_shash_ctx(...)
but crypto_shash_ctx gives a nx_crypto_ctx *, not a crypto_tfm *.

Fix the type in nx_crypto_ctx_exit and drop the bogus crypto_tfm_ctx
call.

This fixes the following oops:

  BUG: Unable to handle kernel data access at 0xc0403effffffffc8
  Faulting instruction address: 0xc000000000396cb4
  Oops: Kernel access of bad area, sig: 11 [#15]
  Call Trace:
   nx_crypto_ctx_shash_exit+0x24/0x60
   crypto_shash_exit_tfm+0x28/0x40
   crypto_destroy_tfm+0x98/0x140
   crypto_exit_ahash_using_shash+0x20/0x40
   crypto_destroy_tfm+0x98/0x140
   hash_release+0x1c/0x30
   alg_sock_destruct+0x38/0x60
   __sk_destruct+0x48/0x2b0
   af_alg_release+0x58/0xb0
   __sock_release+0x68/0x150
   sock_close+0x20/0x40
   __fput+0x110/0x3a0
   sys_close+0x48/0xa0
   system_call_exception+0x140/0x2d0
   system_call_common+0xf4/0x258

.. which came from hardlink(1) opportunistically using AF_ALG.

The same problem exists with nx_crypto_ctx_skcipher_exit getting a context
it wasn't expecting, but apparently nobody hit that for years.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-63805?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-63805?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-63805 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-63805 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-2026-63805 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-63805 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 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-2026-63805 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-2026-63805/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63805/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-63805
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-63805
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-63805

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63805/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.