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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2026-43116

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ctnetlink: ensure safe access to master conntrack Holding reference on the expectation i…

Published May 6, 2026 · catalog updated Oct 15, 2026 · linux kernel

Check if you run it

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-43116. EPSS is 0.10%. Act only if a listed version of linux kernel is installed.

Gaps on this record

  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
Severity
High7.8
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
0.10%
Remediation
Advisory link
Affected products
cpe linux/linux kernel

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ctnetlink: ensure safe access to master conntrack Holding reference on the expectation is not sufficient, the master conntrack object can just go away, making exp->master invalid. To access exp->master safely: - Grab the nf_conntrack_expect_lock, this gets serialized with clean_from_lists() which also holds this lock when the master conntrack goes away. - Hold reference on master conntrack via nf_conntrack_find_get(). Not so easy since the master tuple to look up for the master conntrack is not available in the existing problematic paths. This patch goes for extending the nf_conntrack_expect_lock section to address this issue for simplicity, in the cases that are described below this is just slightly extending the lock section. The add expectation command already holds a reference to the master conntrack from ctnetlink_create_expect(). However, the delete expectation command needs to grab the spinlock before looking up for the expectation. Expand the existing spinlock section to address this to cover the expectation lookup. Note that, the nf_ct_expect_iterate_net() calls already grabs the spinlock while iterating over the expectation table, which is correct. The get expectation command needs to grab the spinlock to ensure master conntrack does not go away. This also expands the existing spinlock section to cover the expectation lookup too. I needed to move the netlink skb allocation out of the spinlock to keep it GFP_KERNEL. For the expectation events, the IPEXP_DESTROY event is already delivered under the spinlock, just move the delivery of IPEXP_NEW under the spinlock too because the master conntrack event cache is reached through exp->master. While at it, add lockdep notations to help identify what codepaths need to grab the spinlock.

Are you affected?

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  • cpe linux/linux kernel7.0

How to fix CVE-2026-43116

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2026-43116. EPSS is 0.10%. Act only if a listed version of linux kernel is installed.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with linux/linux kernel 7.0. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

CWE-362: Race Condition. EPSS 0.10%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Technology hubs

Ubuntu security

Code

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

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. May 6, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Detected

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ctnetlink: ensure safe access to master conntrack Holding reference on the expectation is not sufficient, the master conntrack object can just go away, making exp->master invalid. To access exp->master safely: - Grab the nf_conntrack_expect_lock, this gets serialized with clean_from_lists() which also holds this lock wh

  2. Oct 15, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Updated

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ctnetlink: ensure safe access to master conntrack Holding reference on the expectation is not sufficient, the master conntrack object can just go away, making exp->master invalid. To access exp->master safely: - Grab the nf_conntrack_expect_lock, this gets serialized with clean_from_lists() which also holds this lock wh

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-43116

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-43116

    30-day exploitation probability 0.1%

    first.org
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2026-43116

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ctnetlink: ensure safe access to master conntrack Holding reference on the expectation is not sufficient, the master conntrack object can just go away, making exp->master invalid. To access exp->mas

    nvd.nist.gov
  • Ubuntu Security NoticesVendor advisoryCVE-2026-43116

    Several security issues were discovered in the Linux kernel. An attacker could possibly use these to compromise the system. This update corrects flaws in the following subsystems: - ARM32 architecture; - ARM64 architecture; - MIPS architecture; - x86 architecture; - Intel NPU Dri

    ubuntu.com

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 18, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.