Kernel-memory disclosure via netfilter restart bypass
Published May 8, 2026 · Updated May 8, 2026
Out-of-bounds read in Linux Kernel netfilter allows local users to disclose kernel memory or crash the kernel through a helper-deletion race. nfnl_cthelper_dump_table() restarts after its bucket loop when a saved helper is deleted between dump rounds, bypassing the hash-table bounds check and reading eight bytes past nf_ct_helper_hash. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and control of the deletion race; the bounded consequences are kernel-memory disclosure and a kernel crash.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds read in Linux Kernel netfilter allows local users to disclose kernel memory or crash the kernel through a helper-deletion race. nfnl_cthelper_dump_table() restarts after its bucket loop when a saved helper is deleted between dump rounds, bypassing the hash-table bounds check and reading eight bytes past nf_ct_helper_hash. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and control of the deletion race; the bounded consequences are kernel-memory disclosure and a kernel crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-43450
- Published
- May 8, 2026
- Updated
- May 8, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-125
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 8, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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- Affected versionversion=12f7a505331e6b2754684b509f2ac8f0011ce644 <05018cd9370f77bb18fbf6e15ff33c7a06f10b3c
- Affected versionversion=12f7a505331e6b2754684b509f2ac8f0011ce644 <0605e1985a95d4334a67869aee45a47e82301abf
- Affected versionversion=12f7a505331e6b2754684b509f2ac8f0011ce644 <3cc328ffc32ddb389cba7b78b6aa95d995c2876e
- Affected versionversion=12f7a505331e6b2754684b509f2ac8f0011ce644 <4a1f6ee69267a5f524102c028981410eeacfa3da
- Affected versionversion=12f7a505331e6b2754684b509f2ac8f0011ce644 <61b3a1f8621df1a5928118313f133996f6a786db
- Affected versionversion=12f7a505331e6b2754684b509f2ac8f0011ce644 <6dcee8496d53165b2d8a5909b3050b62ae71fe89
- Affected versionversion=12f7a505331e6b2754684b509f2ac8f0011ce644 <894c5780ddadd5fde0e16f66587918e6be1504c4
- Affected versionversion=12f7a505331e6b2754684b509f2ac8f0011ce644 <92441f6d9405a0c18d03f278b395e782f79a4a30
- Affected versionversion=3.6
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Technologies
Your stack
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