# CVE-2026-64450: tipc: fix out-of-bounds read in broadcast Gap ACK blocks

> A remote attacker can trigger an out-of-bounds read in the Linux kernel TIPC module, potentially disclosing sensitive memory contents.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-93779, BELL-CVE-2026-64450, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-64450, GHSA-j9hg-j7q4-chjv, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-64450, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-64450, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-64450

## What is CVE-2026-64450?

CVE-2026-64450 is a critical vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

tipc: fix out-of-bounds read in broadcast Gap ACK blocks

A broadcast PROTOCOL/STATE_MSG can carry a Gap ACK blocks record in its
data area. tipc_get_gap_ack_blks() only verifies that the record's len
field is self-consistent with its ugack_cnt/bgack_cnt counts
(sz == struct_size(p, gacks, ugack_cnt + bgack_cnt)); it does not check
that the record actually fits in the message data area, msg_data_sz().

The unicast caller tipc_link_proto_rcv() bounds it ("if (glen > dlen)
break;"), but the broadcast caller tipc_bcast_sync_rcv() discards the
returned size, so tipc_link_advance_transmq() copies the record off the
receive skb with an attacker-controlled count:

	this_ga = kmemdup(ga, struct_size(ga, gacks, ga->bgack_cnt),
			  GFP_ATOMIC);

A TIPC neighbour that negotiated TIPC_GAP_ACK_BLOCK triggers it with one
ordinary broadcast STATE_MSG (msg_bc_ack_invalid() clear), sized so its
data area is short, carrying a Gap ACK record with len = 0x400,
bgack_cnt = 0xff and ugack_cnt = 0. len then equals
struct_size(p, gacks, 255), so the consistency check passes and ga is
non-NULL; kmemdup() reads struct_size(ga, gacks, 255) = 1024 bytes out
of the much smaller skb:

  BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in kmemdup_noprof+0x48/0x60
  Read of size 1024 at addr ffff0000c7030d38 by task poc864/69
  Call trace:
   kmemdup_noprof+0x48/0x60
   tipc_link_advance_transmq+0x86c/0xb80
   tipc_link_bc_ack_rcv+0x19c/0x1e0
   tipc_bcast_sync_rcv+0x1c4/0x2c4
   tipc_rcv+0x85c/0x1340
   tipc_l2_rcv_msg+0xac/0x104
  The buggy address belongs to the object at ffff0000c7030d00
   which belongs to the cache skbuff_small_head of size 704
  The buggy address is located 56 bytes inside of
   allocated 704-byte region [ffff0000c7030d00, ffff0000c7030fc0)

The copied-out bytes are subsequently consumed as gap/ack values, but
the read is already out of bounds at the kmemdup() regardless of how
they are used.

The unicast STATE path drops such a message: "if (glen > dlen) break;"
skips the rest of STATE_MSG handling and the skb is freed. Make the
broadcast path drop it too. tipc_bcast_sync_rcv() now bounds the record
against msg_data_sz() and, when it does not fit, reports it back through
tipc_node_bc_sync_rcv() to tipc_rcv() so the skb is discarded rather than
processed. ga is not cleared on this path: ga == NULL already means
"legacy peer without Selective ACK", a distinct legitimate state.

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-64450?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-64450?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-64450 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64450 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-2026-64450 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-64450 is a critical vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64450 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-2026-64450/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64450/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-64450
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64450
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-64450

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64450/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.