CVE-2026-43176

Kernel crash via unchecked TX channel

Published May 6, 2026 · Updated May 6, 2026

Improper TX report validation in Linux Kernel 6.18 through 6.18.15 and 6.19 through 6.19.5 allows attackers to crash the kernel. The rtw89_pci_release_rpp function passes a parsed txch value into later TX-ring processing without rejecting out-of-range or masked channels. Reachability requires an operating RTL8922DE PCI Wi-Fi adapter and a malformed device or firmware release report; upstream has not identified what corrupts the report.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper TX report validation in Linux Kernel 6.18 through 6.18.15 and 6.19 through 6.19.5 allows attackers to crash the kernel. The rtw89_pci_release_rpp function passes a parsed txch value into later TX-ring processing without rejecting out-of-range or masked channels. Reachability requires an operating RTL8922DE PCI Wi-Fi adapter and a malformed device or firmware release report; upstream has not identified what corrupts the report.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43176
Published
May 6, 2026
Updated
May 6, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

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 <3e8a88b5e8b3506d9c5e031a65ba65ce9a0683a3
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5f93d611b33a05bd03d6843c8efe8cb6a1992620
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ebeaa3b24ba568ff8505165f954dba15cc53e4b3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <3e8a88b5e8b3506d9c5e031a65ba65ce9a0683a3; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5f93d611b33a05bd03d6843c8efe8cb6a1992620; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ebeaa3b24ba568ff8505165f954dba15cc53e4b3

Published CVSS scores

8.8kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
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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