CVE-2026-43026

Published: May 2, 2026Last modified: May 2, 2026

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.

Severity score breakdown

ParameterValue
Base score5.5
Attack VectorLOCAL
Attack complexityLOW
Privileges requiredLOW
User interactionNONE
ScopeUNCHANGED
ConfidentialityNONE
Integrity impactNONE
Availability impactHIGH
VectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Status

ProductReleasePackageStatus
Alpaquita Linux23 LTSlinux-ltsFixed (6.1.168-r0)
25 LTSlinux-ltsFixed (6.12.81-r0)
Streamlinux-ltsFixed (6.12.85-r0)

References

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