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Findings

CVE-2026-43026

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ctnetlink: zero expect NAT fields when CTA_EXPECT_NAT absent ctnetlink_alloc_expect() al…

Published May 1, 2026 · updated Oct 15, 2026 · linux linux kernel

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.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. May 1, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Detected

    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 th

  2. Oct 15, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Updated

    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 th

Affected

  • cpe linux/linux kernelversion unspecified
  • cpe linux/linux kernel7.0

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-43026

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-43026

    30-day exploitation probability 0.2%

    first.org
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2026-43026

    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 presen

    nvd.nist.gov

References