# CVE-2026-74286: net: pfcp: allocate per-cpu tstats for PFCP netdevs

> A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel PFCP driver allows local attackers to cause a denial of service by creating a PFCP device.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **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:** 15 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-74286, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-74286, GHSA-m87g-crrv-q9fh, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-74286

## What is CVE-2026-74286?

CVE-2026-74286 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 15 Aug 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:

net: pfcp: allocate per-cpu tstats for PFCP netdevs

PFCP uses dev_get_tstats64() as its ndo_get_stats64 callback, but
pfcp_link_setup() does not request NETDEV_PCPU_STAT_TSTATS.  The net
core therefore leaves dev->tstats NULL for PFCP devices.

Creating a PFCP rtnetlink device can immediately ask the new netdev for
stats while building the RTM_NEWLINK notification.  That reaches
dev_get_tstats64() and dereferences the NULL dev->tstats pointer.

Set pcpu_stat_type to NETDEV_PCPU_STAT_TSTATS during PFCP link setup so
the net core allocates the storage expected by dev_get_tstats64().

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-74286?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-74286?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-74286 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-74286 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-74286 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-74286 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 15 Aug 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-2026-74286 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. 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-2026-74286/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-74286/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-74286
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-74286
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-74286

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-74286/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.