CVE-2026-43012

Local kernel crash via incorrect switchdev rollback

Published May 1, 2026 · Updated May 1, 2026

Denial of service in the Linux kernel mlx5 driver allows local users to crash the kernel during a failed switchdev mode change. The rollback path in esw_offloads_enable leaves MLX5_PRIV_FLAGS_SWITCH_LEGACY unset, so mlx5e_vport_rep_unload unregisters an uplink netdev that must remain registered. Reachability requires mlx5 E-Switch hardware, permission to issue the devlink mode change, and an internal switchdev-enable failure; successful triggering stops the running kernel.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in the Linux kernel mlx5 driver allows local users to crash the kernel during a failed switchdev mode change. The rollback path in esw_offloads_enable leaves MLX5_PRIV_FLAGS_SWITCH_LEGACY unset, so mlx5e_vport_rep_unload unregisters an uplink netdev that must remain registered. Reachability requires mlx5 E-Switch hardware, permission to issue the devlink mode change, and an internal switchdev-enable failure; successful triggering stops the running kernel.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43012
Published
May 1, 2026
Updated
May 1, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499
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=2a4f56fbcc473d8faeb29b73082df39efbe5893c <403186400a1a6166efe7031edc549c15fee4723f
  2. Affected versionversion=2a4f56fbcc473d8faeb29b73082df39efbe5893c <4363698838b7ec6e8d85b179495889aa7e522f91
  3. Affected versionversion=2a4f56fbcc473d8faeb29b73082df39efbe5893c <e27153b2bd6e6699b544ac4dfa35d167bed5e642
  4. Affected versionversion=6.13
  5. Affected versionversion=de85624c623dbb5fdb3ae7b08b66894a072c0cc0 <2ebb13f3e8be0b61f72425b34cce60c8b6ad1891

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=2a4f56fbcc473d8faeb29b73082df39efbe5893c <403186400a1a6166efe7031edc549c15fee4723f; version=2a4f56fbcc473d8faeb29b73082df39efbe5893c <4363698838b7ec6e8d85b179495889aa7e522f91; version=2a4f56fbcc473d8faeb29b73082df39efbe5893c <e27153b2bd6e6699b544ac4dfa35d167bed5e642; version=6.13; version=de85624c623dbb5fdb3ae7b08b66894a072c0cc0 <2ebb13f3e8be0b61f72425b34cce60c8b6ad1891

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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