CVE-2026-43481

Kernel memory corruption via duplicate skb free

Published May 13, 2026 · Updated May 13, 2026

Double-free in Linux kernel net shapers 6.13 through 6.18.18 and 6.19 through 6.19.8 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory. The net_shaper_nl_get_doit() and net_shaper_nl_cap_get_doit() error paths call nlmsg_free() after genlmsg_reply() has already transferred and consumed the same reply skb. Low-privileged local access is required, and public evidence establishes memory corruption rather than a specific privilege-escalation or code-execution outcome.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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

Double-free in Linux kernel net shapers 6.13 through 6.18.18 and 6.19 through 6.19.8 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory. The net_shaper_nl_get_doit() and net_shaper_nl_cap_get_doit() error paths call nlmsg_free() after genlmsg_reply() has already transferred and consumed the same reply skb. Low-privileged local access is required, and public evidence establishes memory corruption rather than a specific privilege-escalation or code-execution outcome.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43481
Published
May 13, 2026
Updated
May 13, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 13, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 13, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=4b623f9f0f59652ea71fcb27d60b4c3b65126dbb <57885276cc16a2e2b76282c808a4e84cbecb3aae
  2. Affected versionversion=4b623f9f0f59652ea71fcb27d60b4c3b65126dbb <83f7b54242d0abbfce35a55c01322f50962ed3ee
  3. Affected versionversion=4b623f9f0f59652ea71fcb27d60b4c3b65126dbb <8738dcc844fff7d0157ee775230e95df3b1884d7
  4. Affected versionversion=6.13

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=4b623f9f0f59652ea71fcb27d60b4c3b65126dbb <57885276cc16a2e2b76282c808a4e84cbecb3aae; version=4b623f9f0f59652ea71fcb27d60b4c3b65126dbb <83f7b54242d0abbfce35a55c01322f50962ed3ee; version=4b623f9f0f59652ea71fcb27d60b4c3b65126dbb <8738dcc844fff7d0157ee775230e95df3b1884d7; version=6.13

Published CVSS scores

7.8LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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

No sourced classifications are available.

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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