CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-43452NVD status: Modified

Linux: Out-of-bounds Read

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-43452 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.2 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions c2a445367a496a3c25dbc940c10c8bd1cfd4c14a, ae1e1267650638136b84c23f2b31250f0ccb6823, c39f84e4be1be63fc60ca7141ea7b76edcea5907 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 0.54% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to c2a445367a496a3c25dbc940c10c8bd1cfd4c14a or ae1e1267650638136b84c23f2b31250f0ccb6823 or c39f84e4be1be63fc60ca7141ea7b76edcea5907 or 9b94f0e42ed248eb31929da84ed9f5310d7ff540, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 5.10.253 or 5.15.203 or 6.1.167 or 6.6.130, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux2e4e6a17af35be359cc8f1c924f8f198fbd478cc up to, but not including, c2a445367a496a3c25dbc940c10c8bd1cfd4c14a; 2e4e6a17af35be359cc8f1c924f8f198fbd478cc up to, but not including, ae1e1267650638136b84c23f2b31250f0ccb6823; 2e4e6a17af35be359cc8f1c924f8f198fbd478cc up to, but not including, c39f84e4be1be63fc60ca7141ea7b76edcea5907; 2e4e6a17af35be359cc8f1c924f8f198fbd478cc up to, but not including, 9b94f0e42ed248eb31929da84ed9f5310d7ff540; 2e4e6a17af35be359cc8f1c924f8f198fbd478cc up to, but not including, 5b18b8b35c7cded2d17b2b2604c9b0694ff48d1c; 2e4e6a17af35be359cc8f1c924f8f198fbd478cc up to, but not including, bc18551c6169eac5ed813778d3e3e484002dbbe5; 2e4e6a17af35be359cc8f1c924f8f198fbd478cc up to, but not including, d04800323336eebf441d153f43234eac9b833d36; 2e4e6a17af35be359cc8f1c924f8f198fbd478cc up to, but not including, cfe770220ac2dbd3e104c6b45094037455da81d4; and 1 more rangesc2a445367a496a3c25dbc940c10c8bd1cfd4c14a, ae1e1267650638136b84c23f2b31250f0ccb6823, c39f84e4be1be63fc60ca7141ea7b76edcea5907, 9b94f0e42ed248eb31929da84ed9f5310d7ff540, 5b18b8b35c7cded2d17b2b2604c9b0694ff48d1c, bc18551c6169eac5ed813778d3e3e484002dbbe5
LinuxLinux Kernel2.6.16 up to, but not including, 5.10.253; 5.11 up to, but not including, 5.15.203; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.167; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.130; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.78; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.19; 6.19 up to, but not including, 6.19.9; 7.05.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.167, 6.6.130, 6.12.78, 6.18.19

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
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
LowSome restricted data can be read.
Integrity
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA.

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: x_tables: guard option walkers against 1-byte tail reads When the last byte of options is a non-single-byte option kind, walkers that advance with i += op[i + 1] ? : 1 can read op[i + 1] past the end of the option area. Add an explicit i == optlen - 1 check before dereferencing op[i + 1] in xt_tcpudp and xt_dccp option walkers.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Read

The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that provides appropriate memory abstractions.

More Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities (CWE-125)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities

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