Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2026-43049 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 222bcf7b02899250b20a7a02d29b4e89fe537322, df966f0def87550bd81d0892cdff992202de2712, 772f99cc8d6e5d95613bce93c9624e154c1abe88 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.15% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to 222bcf7b02899250b20a7a02d29b4e89fe537322 or df966f0def87550bd81d0892cdff992202de2712 or 772f99cc8d6e5d95613bce93c9624e154c1abe88 or b846fb0a73e99174f08238e083e284c0463a2102, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.12.81 or 6.18.22 or 6.19.12, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | abdd3d0b344fdf72a4904d09b97bc964d74c4419 up to, but not including, 222bcf7b02899250b20a7a02d29b4e89fe537322; abdd3d0b344fdf72a4904d09b97bc964d74c4419 up to, but not including, df966f0def87550bd81d0892cdff992202de2712; abdd3d0b344fdf72a4904d09b97bc964d74c4419 up to, but not including, 772f99cc8d6e5d95613bce93c9624e154c1abe88; abdd3d0b344fdf72a4904d09b97bc964d74c4419 up to, but not including, b846fb0a73e99174f08238e083e284c0463a2102; abdd3d0b344fdf72a4904d09b97bc964d74c4419 up to, but not including, 9a793ac19eb84f44ed759c0fce80cf29bc2a2453; abdd3d0b344fdf72a4904d09b97bc964d74c4419 up to, but not including, f7a4c78bfeb320299c1b641500fe7761eadbd101; 5f7fd3576cf30d502a8b2aec4e7a49c4f894e253; 5.3.9 up to, but not including, 5.4; and 1 more ranges | 222bcf7b02899250b20a7a02d29b4e89fe537322, df966f0def87550bd81d0892cdff992202de2712, 772f99cc8d6e5d95613bce93c9624e154c1abe88, b846fb0a73e99174f08238e083e284c0463a2102, 9a793ac19eb84f44ed759c0fce80cf29bc2a2453, f7a4c78bfeb320299c1b641500fe7761eadbd101 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.4.1 up to, but not including, 6.12.81; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.22; 6.19 up to, but not including, 6.19.12; 5.3.9; 5.4; 7.0 | 6.12.81, 6.18.22, 6.19.12 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: HID: logitech-hidpp: Prevent use-after-free on force feedback initialisation failure Presently, if the force feedback initialisation fails when probing the Logitech G920 Driving Force Racing Wheel for Xbox One, an error number will be returned and propagated before the userspace infrastructure (sysfs and /dev/input) has been torn down. If userspace ignores the errors and continues to use its references to these dangling entities, a UAF will promptly follow. We have 2 options; continue to return the error, but ensure that all of the infrastructure is torn down accordingly or continue to treat this condition as a warning by emitting the message but returning success. It is thought that the original author's intention was to emit the warning but keep the device functional, less the force feedback feature, so let's go with that.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Other references
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 8.1 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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