NI-PAL Kernel Driver NULL Pointer Dereference Vulnerability Leading to Denial-of-Service

A denial-of-service vulnerability has been identified in the NI-PAL kernel driver, affecting versions through 26.3.0 on Windows, Linux, and Linux Real-Time. The issue arises from improper input validation, which may allow a local authenticated user to cause a crash by triggering a NULL pointer dereference.

Impact

Exploitation of this vulnerability leads to a crash of the NI-PAL kernel driver, causing a denial-of-service condition.

Remediation

Users are advised to upgrade to NI-PAL version 26.3.1 or later. For Windows, this can be done by installing NI-VISA 2026 Q2 Patch 1 or later. On Linux desktops, NI Linux Device Drivers 2026 Q2 or later should be installed. For NI Linux Real-Time, NI Linux RT System Image 2026 Q2 or later is recommended.