CVE-2026-43060

Local privilege escalation via stale NFQUEUE references

Published May 5, 2026 · Updated May 5, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux Kernel nft_ct module allows local users to gain kernel privileges through nftables and NFQUEUE operations. Pending NFQUEUE packets retain references to conntrack zone templates, timeout policies, or helpers after nft_ct destroys those objects, and verdict reinjection dereferences freed kernel memory. Reaching the flaw requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in the target network namespace; user and network namespaces can expose that capability, and exploitation can disclose or modify kernel memory or crash the host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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

Use-after-free in the Linux Kernel nft_ct module allows local users to gain kernel privileges through nftables and NFQUEUE operations. Pending NFQUEUE packets retain references to conntrack zone templates, timeout policies, or helpers after nft_ct destroys those objects, and verdict reinjection dereferences freed kernel memory. Reaching the flaw requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in the target network namespace; user and network namespaces can expose that capability, and exploitation can disclose or modify kernel memory or crash the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43060
Published
May 5, 2026
Updated
May 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 5, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 5, 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=4.19
  2. Affected versionversion=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <36eae0956f659e48d5366d9b083d9417f3263ddc
  3. Affected versionversion=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <3da0b946835f33bf36b459ead764c61a761e689b
  4. Affected versionversion=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <6802ff8beceb9c4254318e81c1395720438f2cc2
  5. Affected versionversion=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <77da55dee67720e2b8d2db49a53334e6c017ee7b
  6. Affected versionversion=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <8a64e76933672b08bd85b63086f33432070fd729
  7. Affected versionversion=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <ab50302190b303f847c4eba0e31a01a56dec596e
  8. Affected versionversion=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <e68a8db3a0546482b34e9ca5ca886bcf73eb37bb
  9. Affected versionversion=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <f29a055e4f593e577805b41228b142b58f48df1b

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=4.19; version=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <36eae0956f659e48d5366d9b083d9417f3263ddc; version=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <3da0b946835f33bf36b459ead764c61a761e689b; version=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <6802ff8beceb9c4254318e81c1395720438f2cc2; version=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <77da55dee67720e2b8d2db49a53334e6c017ee7b; version=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <8a64e76933672b08bd85b63086f33432070fd729; version=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <ab50302190b303f847c4eba0e31a01a56dec596e; version=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <e68a8db3a0546482b34e9ca5ca886bcf73eb37bb; version=7e0b2b57f01d183e1c84114f1f2287737358d748 <f29a055e4f593e577805b41228b142b58f48df1b

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux kernel CNACVSS: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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