Use-After-Free in Linux kernel (CVE-2026-43016)
Summary
Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2026-43016). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
bpf: sockmap: Fix use-after-free of sk->sk_socket in sk_psock_verdict_data_ready().
syzbot reported use-after-free of AF_UNIX socket's sk->sk_socket
in sk_psock_verdict_data_ready(). [0]
In unix_stream_sendmsg(), the peer socket's ->sk_data_ready() is
called after dropping its unix_state_lock().
Although the sender socket holds the peer's refcount, it does not
prevent the peer's sock_orphan(), and the peer's sk_socket might
be freed after one RCU grace period.
Let's fetch the peer's sk->sk_socket and sk->sk_socket->ops under
RCU in sk_psock_verdict_data_ready().
[0]:
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in sk_psock_verdict_data_ready+0xec/0x590 net/core/skmsg.c:1278
Read of size 8 at addr ffff8880594da860 by task syz.4.1842/11013
CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 11013 Comm: syz.4.1842 Not tainted syzkaller #0 PREEMPT(full)
Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 02/12/2026
Call Trace:
dump_stack_lvl+0xe8/0x150 lib/dump_stack.c:120
print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:378 [inline]
print_report+0xba/0x230 mm/kasan/report.c:482
kasan_report+0x117/0x150 mm/kasan/report.c:595
sk_psock_verdict_data_ready+0xec/0x590 net/core/skmsg.c:1278
unix_stream_sendmsg+0x8a3/0xe80 net/unix/af_unix.c:2482
sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:721 [inline]
__sock_sendmsg net/socket.c:736 [inline]
____sys_sendmsg+0x972/0x9f0 net/socket.c:2585
___sys_sendmsg+0x2a5/0x360 net/socket.c:2639
__s…
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-43016 has been found in Linux kernel.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 7.8/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "Linux kernel CVE-2026-43016" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2026-43016 (Linux kernel) — CWE-416 / CVSS v3 7.8
Attack vector: local / no user interaction
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
Use-after-free (CWE-416) exists in Linux kernel.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of Linux kernel.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.8/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Audit SBOM/dependencies to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
Audit SBOM/dependencies for affected components.資産台帳・SBOM・依存マニフェストで Linux kernel を使っているサービスとバージョンを洗い出す。
-
2Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Fix status by distribution
Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE
- BellSoft Alpaquita BELL-CVE-2026-43016 linux-lts
- Debian DEBIAN-CVE-2026-43016 linux
- Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43016 linux-hwe-edge
References
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org