Linux Linux Kernel
CVE-2026-43088
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: af_key: zero aligned sockaddr tail in PF_KEY exports PF_KEY export paths use `pfkey_sockaddr_size()` when reserving sockaddr payload space, so IPv6 addresses occupy 32 bytes on the wire. However, `pfkey_sockaddr_fill()` initializes only the first 28 bytes of `struct sockaddr_in6`, leaving the final 4 aligned bytes uninitialized. Not every PF_KEY message is affected. The state and policy dump builders already zero the whole message buffer before filling the sockaddr payloads. Keep the fix to the export paths that still append aligned sockaddr payloads with plain `skb_put()`: - `SADB_ACQUIRE` - `SADB_X_NAT_T_NEW_MAPPING` - `SADB_X_MIGRATE` Fix those paths by clearing only the aligned sockaddr tail after `pfkey_sockaddr_fill()`.
What this means for your business
- It affects Linux Kernel. It matters if your company, or a supplier that handles your data, runs it.
- An attacker can use it only with access to the machine itself, with an ordinary user login, and without anyone at your company clicking anything.
- FIRST's prediction model gives it a 0.1% chance of attack attempts being seen in the next 30 days, ranking above 2% of all known flaws.
What to do
- 1Check whether your company or your suppliers run Linux Kernel, and which version. The affected versions are listed further down this page.
- 2If you do, apply the vendor's fix. A patch or vendor advisory has been published.
Not sure if your company is exposed?
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Scoring
- CVSS
- 5.5 (v3.1)
- Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H- Assigned by
- 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Dates
- Published
- 2026-05-06
- Last modified
- 2026-09-14
- Sources
- NVD
Affected products
- Linux Linux Kernel2.6.12.1 - 6.12.88, 6.13 - 6.18.30, 6.19 - 6.19.14, 2.6.12, 7.0
As listed in the NVD configuration data. Not a statement about your estate.
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/11cbf294bac623bd57296f231199193087f57b4a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e74f974359b5382ecbe8536abbb5b837eb6c724
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c19cb8a84ef709d57943bd6664cf31cb91ba6ec
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/426c355742f02cf743b347d9d7dbdc1bfbfa31ef
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6df5f90175fe4c584e9960b6c00131a7bf2b5399
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/746ee79d9e140f0e9e56f5123eaa88ad9332de7b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e357c3cf8a44d4ec1f49ad6981e4ab9704354347
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/edd446ee7cd3d02cac246168063d5b3e9ea68460