CVE-2026-43137

Kernel crash via unset SOF audio widget

Published May 6, 2026 · Updated May 6, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux Kernel Intel SOF HDA driver allows local users to crash the kernel via a broken audio topology. hda_dai_get_ops assumes its playback or capture widget exists when machine-driver DAI links do not match the topology, then dereferences the unset widget. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and a mismatched topology; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel crash and service interruption.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
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

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux Kernel Intel SOF HDA driver allows local users to crash the kernel via a broken audio topology. hda_dai_get_ops assumes its playback or capture widget exists when machine-driver DAI links do not match the topology, then dereferences the unset widget. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and a mismatched topology; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel crash and service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43137
Published
May 6, 2026
Updated
May 6, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-476
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 6, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 6, 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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <10411f1f2c76be67103b1f95822ff629aa25e2aa
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <16c589567a956d46a7c1363af3f64de3d420af20
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <42068f7dd42b559c4eeae645e1455ff36518866a
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7750d78b4014902bc0ac03d4bb30faa076a913ab

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <10411f1f2c76be67103b1f95822ff629aa25e2aa; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <16c589567a956d46a7c1363af3f64de3d420af20; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <42068f7dd42b559c4eeae645e1455ff36518866a; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <7750d78b4014902bc0ac03d4bb30faa076a913ab

Published CVSS scores

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

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference

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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