CVE-2026-43401

Local crash via unchecked cpudata dereference

Published May 8, 2026 · Updated May 8, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel intel_pstate allows local users to crash affected systems through CPU frequency QoS updates. update_cpu_qos_request() reads cpudata->pstate.turbo_freq before validating the CPU policy and driver_data, so an SMT sibling with no all_cpu_data entry is dereferenced. Exposure requires an x86 system booted with nosmt and a path that calls update_qos_requests(); the resulting kernel fault interrupts 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

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel intel_pstate allows local users to crash affected systems through CPU frequency QoS updates. update_cpu_qos_request() reads cpudata->pstate.turbo_freq before validating the CPU policy and driver_data, so an SMT sibling with no all_cpu_data entry is dereferenced. Exposure requires an x86 system booted with nosmt and a path that calls update_qos_requests(); the resulting kernel fault interrupts service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43401
Published
May 8, 2026
Updated
May 8, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-476, 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=6.18
  2. Affected versionversion=ae1bdd23b99f64335c69d546bff99ca39b894c18 <42738dffb7b0766a45882dff7989401d78f66f92
  3. Affected versionversion=ae1bdd23b99f64335c69d546bff99ca39b894c18 <6bfda7ce56e7d14a677b7bcd6c7a5009cc29aa88
  4. Affected versionversion=ae1bdd23b99f64335c69d546bff99ca39b894c18 <ab39cc4cb8ceecdc2b61747433e7237f1ac2b789

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.18; version=ae1bdd23b99f64335c69d546bff99ca39b894c18 <42738dffb7b0766a45882dff7989401d78f66f92; version=ae1bdd23b99f64335c69d546bff99ca39b894c18 <6bfda7ce56e7d14a677b7bcd6c7a5009cc29aa88; version=ae1bdd23b99f64335c69d546bff99ca39b894c18 <ab39cc4cb8ceecdc2b61747433e7237f1ac2b789

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 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-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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