CVE-2026-43296Network attack vector

Network service interruption via NIX SQM deadlock

Published May 8, 2026 · Updated May 8, 2026

Improper locking in the Linux kernel's OcteonTX2 NIX driver allows remote attackers to interrupt network service with concurrent traffic. The driver enables sticky SQ scheduling and sticky-to-non-sticky transitions in NIX_AF_SQM_DBG_CTL_STATUS, allowing shared-SMQ traffic to stall SQM or deadlock PSE and lose credits when control-flow clocks are gated. Reachability requires an OcteonTX2 NIC using the affected driver and concurrent transmissions through multiple send queues that share an SMQ; the bounded consequence is loss of network forward progress.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper locking in the Linux kernel's OcteonTX2 NIX driver allows remote attackers to interrupt network service with concurrent traffic. The driver enables sticky SQ scheduling and sticky-to-non-sticky transitions in NIX_AF_SQM_DBG_CTL_STATUS, allowing shared-SMQ traffic to stall SQM or deadlock PSE and lose credits when control-flow clocks are gated. Reachability requires an OcteonTX2 NIC using the affected driver and concurrent transmissions through multiple send queues that share an SMQ; the bounded consequence is loss of network forward progress.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43296
Published
May 8, 2026
Updated
May 8, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-667, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 8, 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 <36cc5a5e0178d5fb79e04173b8aa623b0108819a
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <70e9a5760abfb6338d63994d4de6b0778ec795d6
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8052d0587fb14b85539c3a14a226586c0c3d6b4c
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9a3fd301329474f449e75f86d8a4f6b9c603fd6c
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <b7eba260a34e854e2487b8363c11976f082df00d
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <cec2ceb35ce7bc874c43812bb39200d6cf691b87
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d0b3c8a80336029d9356f429151eb27922d80a3c
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d9b549b6951ba178ec14339a031cae65f4e43fe1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <36cc5a5e0178d5fb79e04173b8aa623b0108819a; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <70e9a5760abfb6338d63994d4de6b0778ec795d6; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8052d0587fb14b85539c3a14a226586c0c3d6b4c; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9a3fd301329474f449e75f86d8a4f6b9c603fd6c; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <b7eba260a34e854e2487b8363c11976f082df00d; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <cec2ceb35ce7bc874c43812bb39200d6cf691b87; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d0b3c8a80336029d9356f429151eb27922d80a3c; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d9b549b6951ba178ec14339a031cae65f4e43fe1

Published CVSS scores

7.5kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-667Improper Locking
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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