diff --git a/kernel/module/main.c b/kernel/module/main.c
index 528690ba160b..d0e1e0bd2ad0 100644
--- a/kernel/module/main.c
+++ b/kernel/module/main.c
@@ -2010,6 +2010,7 @@ static int elf_validity_cache_sechdrs(struct load_info *info)
  * Specifically checks:
  *
  * * Section name table index is inbounds of section headers
+ * * Section name table type is SHT_STRTAB
  * * Section name table is not empty
  * * Section name table is NUL terminated
  * * All section name offsets are inbounds of the section
@@ -2037,6 +2038,11 @@ static int elf_validity_cache_secstrings(struct load_info *info)
 
 	strhdr = &info->sechdrs[info->hdr->e_shstrndx];
 
+	if (strhdr->sh_type != SHT_STRTAB) {
+		pr_err("Invalid ELF section name table type: %u\n", strhdr->sh_type);
+		return -ENOEXEC;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * The section name table must be NUL-terminated, as required
 	 * by the spec. This makes strcmp and pr_* calls that access
@@ -2203,7 +2209,7 @@ static int elf_validity_cache_index_sym(struct load_info *info)
  *        Must have &load_info->index.sym populated.
  *
  * Looks at the symbol table's associated string table, makes sure it is
- * in-bounds, and caches it.
+ * in-bounds and of type SHT_STRTAB, and caches it.
  *
  * Return: %0 if valid, %-ENOEXEC on failure.
  */
@@ -2217,6 +2223,12 @@ static int elf_validity_cache_index_str(struct load_info *info)
 		return -ENOEXEC;
 	}
 
+	if (info->sechdrs[str_idx].sh_type != SHT_STRTAB) {
+		pr_err("Invalid ELF symbol string table type: %u\n",
+		       info->sechdrs[str_idx].sh_type);
+		return -ENOEXEC;
+	}
+
 	info->index.str = str_idx;
 	return 0;
 }