CVE-2026-43027 Details
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_conntrack_helper: pass helper to expect cleanup nf_conntrack_helper_unregister() calls nf_ct_expect_iterate_destroy() to remove expectations belonging to the helper being unregistered. However, it passes NULL instead of the helper pointer as the data argument, so expect_iter_me() never matches any expectation and all of them survive the cleanup. After unregister returns, nfnl_cthelper_del() frees the helper object immediately. Subsequent expectation dumps or packet-driven init_conntrack() calls then dereference the freed exp->helper, causing a use-after-free. Pass the actual helper pointer so expectations referencing it are properly destroyed before the helper object is freed. BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in string+0x38f/0x430 Read of size 1 at addr ffff888003b14d20 by task poc/103 Call Trace: string+0x38f/0x430 vsnprintf+0x3cc/0x1170 seq_printf+0x17a/0x240 exp_seq_show+0x2e5/0x560 seq_read_iter+0x419/0x1280 proc_reg_read+0x1ac/0x270 vfs_read+0x179/0x930 ksys_read+0xef/0x1c0 Freed by task 103: The buggy address is located 32 bytes inside of freed 192-byte region [ffff888003b14d00, ffff888003b14dc0)
A use-after-free vulnerability has been identified in the Linux kernel's netfilter component, specifically within the nf_conntrack_helper management. The issue arises when the nf_conntrack_helper_unregister() function is called to remove expectations associated with a helper. The function incorrectly passes NULL instead of the actual helper pointer, causing the expectation cleanup process to fail. As a result, expectations remain intact even after the helper object has been freed, leading to a use-after-free condition. This vulnerability allows for the dereferencing of a freed memory address, which can be exploited to cause memory corruption or potentially execute arbitrary code.
The vulnerability has been fixed in the Linux kernel. Users should upgrade to the latest version where this issue has been addressed.
Metrics
CVSS 4.0 Severity and Vector Strings:
No CVSS 4.0 data is available for this CVE.
CVSS 3.x Severity and Vector Strings:
No data available for CVSS Version 2.0 on this CVE.
No SSVC data is available for this CVE.
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Weakness Enumeration
| CWE-ID | CWE Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| CWE-416 | Use After Free | [email protected] |
Affected Products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| linux linux kernel | >= 4.14, < 5.10.253 >= 5.11, < 5.15.203 >= 5.16, < 6.1.168 >= 6.2, < 6.6.134 >= 6.7, < 6.12.81 >= 6.13, < 6.18.22 >= 6.19, < 6.19.12 7.0 rc1 7.0 rc2 7.0 rc3 7.0 rc4 7.0 rc5 7.0 rc6 |
CPE
Remediation
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Change History
4 change records found show changes
| Date | Action | Recorded By |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 14, 2026 | CVE Modified | siemens-SADP |
| Jun 17, 2026 | CVE Modified | kernel.org |
| May 8, 2026 | Initial Analysis | [email protected] |
| May 1, 2026 | New CVE Received | kernel.org |