IM
IronMonkey Threat Research

CVE-2026-43026 MEDIUM

Published: 2026-05-01 | Last Modified: 2026-07-14 | Status: Modified

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ctnetlink: zero expect NAT fields when CTA_EXPECT_NAT absent ctnetlink_alloc_expect() allocates expectations from a non-zeroing slab cache via nf_ct_expect_alloc(). When CTA_EXPECT_NAT is not present in the netlink message, saved_addr and saved_proto are never initialized. Stale data from a previous slab occupant can then be dumped to userspace by ctnetlink_exp_dump_expect(), which checks these fields to decide whether to emit CTA_EXPECT_NAT. The safe sibling nf_ct_expect_init(), used by the packet path, explicitly zeroes these fields. Zero saved_addr, saved_proto and dir in the else branch, guarded by IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_NF_NAT) since these fields only exist when NAT is enabled. Confirmed by priming the expect slab with NAT-bearing expectations, freeing them, creating a new expectation without CTA_EXPECT_NAT, and observing that the ctnetlink dump emits a spurious CTA_EXPECT_NAT containing stale data from the prior allocation.

CVSS Metrics

Base Score: 5.5 (MEDIUM)

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Attack VectorLOCAL
Attack ComplexityLOW
Privileges RequiredLOW
User InteractionNONE
ScopeUNCHANGED
Confidentiality ImpactNONE
Integrity ImpactNONE
Availability ImpactHIGH

Source: [email protected]

Type: Primary

Exploitability Score: 1.8

Impact Score: 3.6

Weaknesses

Source Type Description
[email protected] Primary
en NVD-CWE-noinfo

Affected Products

Vendor Product Version Update Type
linux linux_kernel * <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702bfc2a4ec0> Operating System
linux linux_kernel * <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702b70375180> Operating System
linux linux_kernel * <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702bfc2a4f00> Operating System
linux linux_kernel * <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702b70377380> Operating System
linux linux_kernel * <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702bfc2a7200> Operating System
linux linux_kernel * <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702bfc2a7140> Operating System
linux linux_kernel * <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702b70377ac0> Operating System
linux linux_kernel 7.0 <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702b703750c0> Operating System
linux linux_kernel 7.0 <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702b70376580> Operating System
linux linux_kernel 7.0 <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702bfc2a5740> Operating System
linux linux_kernel 7.0 <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702bdcdbc540> Operating System
linux linux_kernel 7.0 <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702b70375b40> Operating System
linux linux_kernel 7.0 <built-in method update of dict object at 0x702bfc2a6d40> Operating System

Affected Configurations

Operator: OR

Vulnerable CPE
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
Yes cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*

References

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