Linux: Double Free
CVE-2026-43260 is a high-severity double 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 348a5f8d06c7bdf954e13c17ad5f80b59a075604, 079986d6db1f8e3d50c55f400cf998ac9690d2c8, 9a9b89eea4a9cc7726702946ff688d716962fabd 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 0.14% 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 348a5f8d06c7bdf954e13c17ad5f80b59a075604 or 079986d6db1f8e3d50c55f400cf998ac9690d2c8 or 9a9b89eea4a9cc7726702946ff688d716962fabd or e123d9302d223767bd910bfbcfe607bae909f8ac, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.12.75 or 6.18.16 or 6.19.6, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 667ac333dbb7e265b3f5bc4bc94e236f64682c86 up to, but not including, 348a5f8d06c7bdf954e13c17ad5f80b59a075604; 667ac333dbb7e265b3f5bc4bc94e236f64682c86 up to, but not including, 079986d6db1f8e3d50c55f400cf998ac9690d2c8; 667ac333dbb7e265b3f5bc4bc94e236f64682c86 up to, but not including, 9a9b89eea4a9cc7726702946ff688d716962fabd; 667ac333dbb7e265b3f5bc4bc94e236f64682c86 up to, but not including, e123d9302d223767bd910bfbcfe607bae909f8ac; 6.11 | 348a5f8d06c7bdf954e13c17ad5f80b59a075604, 079986d6db1f8e3d50c55f400cf998ac9690d2c8, 9a9b89eea4a9cc7726702946ff688d716962fabd, e123d9302d223767bd910bfbcfe607bae909f8ac |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.11 up to, but not including, 6.12.75; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.16; 6.19 up to, but not including, 6.19.6; 7.0 | 6.12.75, 6.18.16, 6.19.6 |
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: bnxt_en: Fix RSS context delete logic We need to free the corresponding RSS context VNIC in FW everytime an RSS context is deleted in driver. Commit 667ac333dbb7 added a check to delete the VNIC in FW only when netif_running() is true to help delete RSS contexts with interface down. Having that condition will make the driver leak VNICs in FW whenever close() happens with active RSS contexts. On the subsequent open(), as part of RSS context restoration, we will end up trying to create extra VNICs for which we did not make any reservation. FW can fail this request, thereby making us lose active RSS contexts. Suppose an RSS context is deleted already and we try to process a delete request again, then the HWRM functions will check for validity of the request and they simply return if the resource is already freed. So, even for delete-when-down cases, netif_running() check is not necessary. Remove the netif_running() condition check when deleting an RSS context.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Double Free
The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- Ensure that each allocation is freed only once. After freeing a chunk, set the pointer to NULL to ensure the pointer cannot be freed again. In complicated error conditions, be sure that clean-up routines respect the state of allocation properly. If the language is object oriented, ensure that object destructors delete each chunk of memory only once.
- Use a static analysis tool to find double free instances.
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
Recent Double Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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