CVE-2026-43468

Kernel hang via mlx5 eswitch lock inversion

Published May 8, 2026 · Updated May 8, 2026

Improper locking in the Linux Kernel mlx5 eswitch allows local users to hang affected systems during eswitch mode changes. mlx5_eswitch_event_handler_unregister flushes esw->work_queue while holding the devlink lock, as esw_vfs_changed_event_handler can wait for that same lock. Low-privileged local access and an mlx5 eswitch mode-change race are required; the result is an availability-only kernel hang with no reported data exposure or modification.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.09%
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 mlx5 eswitch allows local users to hang affected systems during eswitch mode changes. mlx5_eswitch_event_handler_unregister flushes esw->work_queue while holding the devlink lock, as esw_vfs_changed_event_handler can wait for that same lock. Low-privileged local access and an mlx5 eswitch mode-change race are required; the result is an availability-only kernel hang with no reported data exposure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43468
Published
May 8, 2026
Updated
May 8, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-667, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.0
  2. Affected versionversion=f1bc646c9a06f09aad5d8bacb87103b5573ee45e <0de867f6e34eae6907b367fd152c55e61cb98608
  3. Affected versionversion=f1bc646c9a06f09aad5d8bacb87103b5573ee45e <3c7313cb41b1b427078440364d2f042c276a1c0b
  4. Affected versionversion=f1bc646c9a06f09aad5d8bacb87103b5573ee45e <4a7838bebc38374f74baaf88bf2cf8d439a92923
  5. Affected versionversion=f1bc646c9a06f09aad5d8bacb87103b5573ee45e <90e7e5d14d0bd25ffd019a3aa39d9f1c05fedbe1
  6. Affected versionversion=f1bc646c9a06f09aad5d8bacb87103b5573ee45e <957d2a58f7f8ebcbdd0a85935e0d2675134b890d
  7. Affected versionversion=f1bc646c9a06f09aad5d8bacb87103b5573ee45e <aed763abf0e905b4b8d747d1ba9e172961572f57

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.0; version=f1bc646c9a06f09aad5d8bacb87103b5573ee45e <0de867f6e34eae6907b367fd152c55e61cb98608; version=f1bc646c9a06f09aad5d8bacb87103b5573ee45e <3c7313cb41b1b427078440364d2f042c276a1c0b; version=f1bc646c9a06f09aad5d8bacb87103b5573ee45e <4a7838bebc38374f74baaf88bf2cf8d439a92923; version=f1bc646c9a06f09aad5d8bacb87103b5573ee45e <90e7e5d14d0bd25ffd019a3aa39d9f1c05fedbe1; version=f1bc646c9a06f09aad5d8bacb87103b5573ee45e <957d2a58f7f8ebcbdd0a85935e0d2675134b890d; version=f1bc646c9a06f09aad5d8bacb87103b5573ee45e <aed763abf0e905b4b8d747d1ba9e172961572f57

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5CanonicalCVSS: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

CWE-667Improper Locking
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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