Linux: Double Free
CVE-2026-43276 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 fa3c2f8d9152344a478abb847081c1b5f84a94f5, a9a7c3203fdc4d4a8d8a7a3b1ed05d2bb4c6e77e, f975a0955276579e2176a134366ed586071c7c6a 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 0.12% 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 fa3c2f8d9152344a478abb847081c1b5f84a94f5 or a9a7c3203fdc4d4a8d8a7a3b1ed05d2bb4c6e77e or f975a0955276579e2176a134366ed586071c7c6a, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 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 | 505cc26bcae00699bacaee66cd50ede7a9cc89cb up to, but not including, fa3c2f8d9152344a478abb847081c1b5f84a94f5; 505cc26bcae00699bacaee66cd50ede7a9cc89cb up to, but not including, a9a7c3203fdc4d4a8d8a7a3b1ed05d2bb4c6e77e; 505cc26bcae00699bacaee66cd50ede7a9cc89cb up to, but not including, f975a0955276579e2176a134366ed586071c7c6a; 6.16 | fa3c2f8d9152344a478abb847081c1b5f84a94f5, a9a7c3203fdc4d4a8d8a7a3b1ed05d2bb4c6e77e, f975a0955276579e2176a134366ed586071c7c6a |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.16 up to, but not including, 6.18.16; 6.19 up to, but not including, 6.19.6; 7.0 | 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: net: mana: Fix double destroy_workqueue on service rescan PCI path While testing corner cases in the driver, a use-after-free crash was found on the service rescan PCI path. When mana_serv_reset() calls mana_gd_suspend(), mana_gd_cleanup() destroys gc->service_wq. If the subsequent mana_gd_resume() fails with -ETIMEDOUT or -EPROTO, the code falls through to mana_serv_rescan() which triggers pci_stop_and_remove_bus_device(). This invokes the PCI .remove callback (mana_gd_remove), which calls mana_gd_cleanup() a second time, attempting to destroy the already- freed workqueue. Fix this by NULL-checking gc->service_wq in mana_gd_cleanup() and setting it to NULL after destruction. Call stack of issue for reference: [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] Call Trace: [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] <TASK> [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] mana_gd_cleanup+0x33/0x70 [mana] [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] mana_gd_remove+0x3a/0xc0 [mana] [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] pci_device_remove+0x41/0xb0 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] device_remove+0x46/0x70 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] device_release_driver_internal+0x1e3/0x250 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] device_release_driver+0x12/0x20 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] pci_stop_bus_device+0x6a/0x90 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] pci_stop_and_remove_bus_device+0x13/0x30 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] mana_do_service+0x180/0x290 [mana] [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] mana_serv_func+0x24/0x50 [mana] [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] process_one_work+0x190/0x3d0 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] worker_thread+0x16e/0x2e0 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] kthread+0xf7/0x130 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] ? __pfx_worker_thread+0x10/0x10 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] ret_from_fork+0x269/0x350 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 [Sat Feb 21 18:53:48 2026] </TASK>
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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