CVE-2026-43394

Local denial of service via credential reference leak

Published May 8, 2026 · Updated May 8, 2026

Credential reference leak in NFSD listener management in Linux Kernel allows local users to interrupt system availability through repeated requests. nfsd_nl_listener_set_doit() calls get_current_cred() for each sendmsg request without the matching put_cred(), retaining a credential reference that svc_xprt_create_from_sa() does not need. The local NFSD netlink listener-set operation requires administrative permission; repeated requests exhaust kernel memory and interrupt service.

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

Credential reference leak in NFSD listener management in Linux Kernel allows local users to interrupt system availability through repeated requests. nfsd_nl_listener_set_doit() calls get_current_cred() for each sendmsg request without the matching put_cred(), retaining a credential reference that svc_xprt_create_from_sa() does not need. The local NFSD netlink listener-set operation requires administrative permission; repeated requests exhaust kernel memory and interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43394
Published
May 8, 2026
Updated
May 8, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=16a471177496c8e04a9793812c187a2c1a2192fa <019debe5851d7355bea9ff0248cc317878924d8f
  2. Affected versionversion=16a471177496c8e04a9793812c187a2c1a2192fa <02e87ec0bc706cb93fa47b43d18c4d10102c7d54
  3. Affected versionversion=16a471177496c8e04a9793812c187a2c1a2192fa <92978c83bb4eef55d02a6c990c01c423131eefa7
  4. Affected versionversion=16a471177496c8e04a9793812c187a2c1a2192fa <cba413765376bb466035c9160fa3130402971e2c
  5. Affected versionversion=6.10

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=16a471177496c8e04a9793812c187a2c1a2192fa <019debe5851d7355bea9ff0248cc317878924d8f; version=16a471177496c8e04a9793812c187a2c1a2192fa <02e87ec0bc706cb93fa47b43d18c4d10102c7d54; version=16a471177496c8e04a9793812c187a2c1a2192fa <92978c83bb4eef55d02a6c990c01c423131eefa7; version=16a471177496c8e04a9793812c187a2c1a2192fa <cba413765376bb466035c9160fa3130402971e2c; version=6.10

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
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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