# CVE-2026-90228: nvmet: fix NULL pointer dereference in nvmet_execute_identify_ns_zns()

> A remote attacker can cause a kernel crash by sending a specific NVMe Identify command to a file-backed namespace, requiring the zoned block device configuration to be enabled.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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:** 17 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-102158, BELL-CVE-2026-90228, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-90228, GHSA-cxmg-vfm8-pw64, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-90228

## What is CVE-2026-90228?

CVE-2026-90228 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux, published on 17 Sep 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:

nvmet: fix NULL pointer dereference in nvmet_execute_identify_ns_zns()

When a host issues an Identify command with CNS 05h (I/O Command Set
specific Identify Namespace) and CSI 02h (ZNS) targeting a file-backed
namespace, nvmet_execute_identify_ns_zns() calls bdev_is_zoned() on
req->ns->bdev. A file-backed namespace has no block device, so
req->ns->bdev is NULL and bdev_is_zoned() dereferences it, oopsing.

The I/O command set is selected by the host-supplied CSI field and the
command is routed here whenever CONFIG_BLK_DEV_ZONED is enabled,
independent of the namespace backing type, so any file-backed namespace
is exposed.

Reject the command with Invalid Field when the namespace is not backed
by a block device.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-90228?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-90228?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-90228 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-90228 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-90228 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-90228 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux, published on 17 Sep 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-2026-90228 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-2026-90228/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-90228/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-90228
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-90228
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-90228

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-90228/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.