CVE-2026-43009

Local privilege escalation via incorrect BPF pruning

Published May 1, 2026 · Updated May 1, 2026

Improper BPF verifier pruning in Linux Kernel allows local users to gain kernel memory read and write access through crafted BPF bytecode. In backtrack_insn, atomic fetch instructions are treated as ordinary stores, so precision is not propagated from the fetched destination register to its stack slot and distinct verifier states are incorrectly pruned. Loading the crafted program requires CAP_BPF, CAP_SYS_ADMIN, or an equivalent BPF token; a successful bypass permits kernel-memory corruption or a host crash.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper BPF verifier pruning in Linux Kernel allows local users to gain kernel memory read and write access through crafted BPF bytecode. In backtrack_insn, atomic fetch instructions are treated as ordinary stores, so precision is not propagated from the fetched destination register to its stack slot and distinct verifier states are incorrectly pruned. Loading the crafted program requires CAP_BPF, CAP_SYS_ADMIN, or an equivalent BPF token; a successful bypass permits kernel-memory corruption or a host crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43009
Published
May 1, 2026
Updated
May 1, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 1, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 1, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.12
  2. Affected versionversion=5ca419f2864a2c60940dcf4bbaeb69546200e36f <179ee84a89114b854ac2dd1d293633a7f6c8dac1
  3. Affected versionversion=5ca419f2864a2c60940dcf4bbaeb69546200e36f <7ffbe45b1d227e24659998a91cfd4c27af457e71

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=5.12; version=5ca419f2864a2c60940dcf4bbaeb69546200e36f <179ee84a89114b854ac2dd1d293633a7f6c8dac1; version=5ca419f2864a2c60940dcf4bbaeb69546200e36f <7ffbe45b1d227e24659998a91cfd4c27af457e71

Published CVSS scores

7.8UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.7Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.5UbuntuCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
7.8kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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