---
id: CVE-2026-80791
title: 'kernel: nvmet-auth: zero the AUTH_RECEIVE response buffer (CVE-2026-80791)'
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's nvmet-auth subsystem. During the
  pre-authentication handshake, a remote attacker can exploit an issue where the
  system allocates a response buffer but only partially initializes it. The
  uninitialized …
severity: medium
cvss: 4.3
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-200
vendor: Red Hat
product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
affected:
  - enterprise_linux 10
  - enterprise_linux 9
  - openshift_container_platform 4
published: '2026-09-04'
updated: '2026-10-24'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-24T02:52:04+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-80791.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-80791.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-80791'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2528588'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-80791'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-80791'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-80791.mbox
  - url: 'https://kernelcve.org/list/?q=CVE-2026-80791'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/447b668faa14710f611e714031e3739ac3ec3a4f'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8f6363c8d54dde95982f0ab45e77cf57ec0efd62'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dfcf013f77709ebdb282767edc2795a37cab5b57'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b26189d28442183a8b5edb754f4a6918f77ca84e'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2dcc9226203da7275a9c29d20007da278d73d5e9'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1d6837d98bf966a041af65de5f78de7409ff83bc'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3ddcfb013322aa37eaa7a0d344b73079c38dfa21'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00207
epssPercentile: 0.10717
ingestedAt: '2026-10-19T10:20:54.957Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's nvmet-auth subsystem. During the pre-authentication handshake, a remote attacker can exploit an issue where the system allocates a response buffer but only partially initializes it. The uninitialized portion of this buffer is then transmitted to the remote initiator. This can lead to the disclosure of sensitive information from kernel memory.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · updated 2026-10-24 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-80791.json)

**kernel: nvmet-auth: zero the AUTH_RECEIVE response buffer** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2026-09-04, updated 2026-10-24.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

## Remediation

Fix deferred

Workarounds / mitigations:

- Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options don't meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.