CVE-2026-43387

Kernel crash via unchecked information-element lengths

Published May 8, 2026 · Updated May 8, 2026

Out-of-bounds read in the Linux kernel's rtl8723bs driver allows local users to crash the system via malformed frame data. The rtw_get_ie_ex() parser reads a length byte without first ensuring that the header remains, then uses an unchecked element length before confirming that the element and OUI fit within the input buffer. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and a kernel built with the staging RTL8723BS wireless driver; the bounded impact is a kernel crash.

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

Out-of-bounds read in the Linux kernel's rtl8723bs driver allows local users to crash the system via malformed frame data. The rtw_get_ie_ex() parser reads a length byte without first ensuring that the header remains, then uses an unchecked element length before confirming that the element and OUI fit within the input buffer. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and a kernel built with the staging RTL8723BS wireless driver; the bounded impact is a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43387
Published
May 8, 2026
Updated
May 8, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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 <35969c3a208a07cb8642301df5869c34e2db7071
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6d62fa548387e159a21ea95132c09bfc96d336ed
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <740bca8bbdb707c0e4bb11e3316deb2f04fc7ce1
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8097a48c606a9306281ea7bd73bf2afc97553733
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <821f7d759fb2de33c5e5b0c4981181c4d0c3e9b1
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9a4cd4c37593cc8b8d28f9a6732b490a8032006a
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ac38856092b4c994f94343251b30520bdeb7f475
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f0109b9d3e1e455429279d602f6276e34689750a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <35969c3a208a07cb8642301df5869c34e2db7071; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6d62fa548387e159a21ea95132c09bfc96d336ed; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <740bca8bbdb707c0e4bb11e3316deb2f04fc7ce1; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8097a48c606a9306281ea7bd73bf2afc97553733; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <821f7d759fb2de33c5e5b0c4981181c4d0c3e9b1; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9a4cd4c37593cc8b8d28f9a6732b490a8032006a; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ac38856092b4c994f94343251b30520bdeb7f475; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f0109b9d3e1e455429279d602f6276e34689750a

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

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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