CVE-2026-98077: netfilter: nf_conntrack_sip: fix OOB read in sip_skip_whitespace()

Severity: unknown
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-09-25 · updated 2026-10-19

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_conntrack_sip: fix OOB read in sip_skip_whitespace() sip_skip_whitespace() returns dptr unchanged when its own loop exhausts the buffer (dptr == limit), instead of NULL like its sibling sip_follow_continuation() returns on its own "no more data" path. ct_sip_get_header() only checks for NULL after calling it: dptr = sip_skip_whitespace(dptr, limit); if (dptr == NULL) break; if (*dptr != ':' || ++dptr >= limit) break; so a recognized header name followed only by spaces/tabs running to the exact end of the SIP payload, with no colon, makes the very next statement read one byte past the buffer. Make both "no more data" outcomes return NULL, matching the convention sip_follow_continuation() already uses and that both existing callers already check for.

Affected products

Linux kernel: 2.6.26 — fixed in 7.3

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 7.3. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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