CVE-2026-23044: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: PM: hibernate: Fix crash when freeing invalid crypto compressor When crypto_alloc

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: PM: hibernate: Fix crash when freeing invalid crypto compressor When crypto_alloc_acomp()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: PM: hibernate: Fix crash when freeing invalid crypto compressor When crypto_alloc_acomp() fails, it returns an ERR_PTR value, not NULL. The cleanup code in save_compressed_image() and load_compressed_image() unconditionally calls crypto_free_acomp() without checking for ERR_PTR, which causes crypto_acomp_tfm() to dereference an invalid pointer and crash the kernel. This can be triggered when the compression algorithm is unavailable (e.g., CONFIG_CRYPTO_LZO not enabled). Fix by adding IS_ERR_OR_NULL() checks before calling crypto_free_acomp() and acomp_request_free(), similar to the existing kthread_stop() check. [ rjw: Added 2 empty code lines ]

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

What it means for a small business

Linux is on the computers, phones or browsers your team uses every day. Turn on automatic updates and restart: most of these fixes only take effect after a restart.

How likely is an attack? The Exploit Prediction Scoring System, run by FIRST (the global association of security response teams), puts the odds of this one being exploited in the next 30 days at 0.17%, higher than 6% of CVEs. That’s low, but low isn’t zero, and the odds jump the day someone publishes an exploit. Scored October 29, 2026, updated daily.

Check your own setup

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Sources

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

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