CVE-2026-43027

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_conntrack_helper: pass helper to expect cleanup nf_conntrack_helper_unregister() calls nf_ct_expect_iterate_destroy() to remove expectations belonging to the helper being unregistered. However, it passes NULL instead of the helper pointer as the data argument, so expect_iter_me() never matches any expectation and all of them survive the cleanup. After unregister returns, nfnl_cthelper_del() frees the helper object immediately. Subsequent expectation dumps or packet-driven init_conntrack() calls then dereference the freed exp->helper, causing a use-after-free. Pass the actual helper pointer so expectations referencing it are properly destroyed before the helper object is freed. BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in string+0x38f/0x430 Read of size 1 at addr ffff888003b14d20 by task poc/103 Call Trace: string+0x38f/0x430 vsnprintf+0x3cc/0x1170 seq_printf+0x17a/0x240 exp_seq_show+0x2e5/0x560 seq_read_iter+0x419/0x1280 proc_reg_read+0x1ac/0x270 vfs_read+0x179/0x930 ksys_read+0xef/0x1c0 Freed by task 103: The buggy address is located 32 bytes inside of freed 192-byte region [ffff888003b14d00, ffff888003b14dc0)

CVSS Details

CVSS Score

7.8

Severity

HIGH

CVSS Vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Configurations (Affected Products)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* - VULNERABLE

Linux Kernel < 2c16e4d64dd91227742dfe196a3e7b0568bef65a

Linux Kernel < 2cf2737c85a2ba2b52024dafe68ffad2676f97be

Linux Kernel < 504ba4168466c91210c45acdc332479cfd5f2da6

Linux Kernel < 5cf28d5c8dcbbe8af6d3b145babe491906d7bad1

Linux Kernel < 620f3d14c1ef51d425060a3056ad8dbae8f998a3

PoC / Exploit Code

⚠ For Security Research Only

The following code is for security research and authorized testing only.

python

/*
 * PoC Concept for CVE-2026-43027
 * This snippet demonstrates the steps to trigger the UAF.
 * Requires kernel module development context.
 */

#include <linux/module.h>
#include <linux/netfilter.h>
#include <net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_helper.h>

static struct nf_conntrack_helper *test_helper;

static int __init init_poc(void) {
    // 1. Register a helper (simplified)
    // test_helper = kzalloc(...);
    // nf_conntrack_helper_register(test_helper);

    // 2. Create expectations associated with the helper
    // (Code to create expectations via nf_ct_expect_add)

    // 3. Unregister the helper
    // Bug: nf_conntrack_helper_unregister passes NULL internally,
    // leaving expectations dangling.
    // nf_conntrack_helper_unregister(test_helper);
    
    // 4. Trigger access to dangling pointer
    // Reading /proc/net/nf_conntrack_expect causes UAF
    return 0;
}

static void __exit exit_poc(void) {
    // Cleanup
}

module_init(init_poc);
module_exit(exit_poc);

References

[1] CVE.org https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-43027
[2] NVD NIST https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43027
[3] CVE Details https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2026-43027/
[4] VulDB https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2026-43027
[5] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2c16e4d64dd91227742dfe196a3e7b0568bef65a
[6] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2cf2737c85a2ba2b52024dafe68ffad2676f97be
[7] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/504ba4168466c91210c45acdc332479cfd5f2da6
[8] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5cf28d5c8dcbbe8af6d3b145babe491906d7bad1
[9] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/620f3d14c1ef51d425060a3056ad8dbae8f998a3
[10] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/90bd7e8501349db3006d21fbc09df9ffcb172965
[11] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a242a9ae58aa46ff7dae51ce64150a93957abe65
[12] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc1739eff48e34cc71d4e2f03715493fbcebd8af

Raw JSON Data

JSON

{"cve": {"id": "CVE-2026-43027", "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "published": "2026-05-01T15:16:47.167", "lastModified": "2026-05-08T18:29:08.890", "vulnStatus": "Analyzed", "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnetfilter: nf_conntrack_helper: pass helper to expect cleanup\n\nnf_conntrack_helper_unregister() calls nf_ct_expect_iterate_destroy()\nto remove expectations belonging to the helper being unregistered.\nHowever, it passes NULL instead of the helper pointer as the data\nargument, so expect_iter_me() never matches any expectation and all\nof them survive the cleanup.\n\nAfter unregister returns, nfnl_cthelper_del() frees the helper\nobject immediately. Subsequent expectation dumps or packet-driven\ninit_conntrack() calls then dereference the freed exp->helper,\ncausing a use-after-free.\n\nPass the actual helper pointer so expectations referencing it are\nproperly destroyed before the helper object is freed.\n\n BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in string+0x38f/0x430\n Read of size 1 at addr ffff888003b14d20 by task poc/103\n Call Trace:\n string+0x38f/0x430\n vsnprintf+0x3cc/0x1170\n seq_printf+0x17a/0x240\n exp_seq_show+0x2e5/0x560\n seq_read_iter+0x419/0x1280\n proc_reg_read+0x1ac/0x270\n vfs_read+0x179/0x930\n ksys_read+0xef/0x1c0\n Freed by task 103:\n The buggy address is located 32 bytes inside of\n freed 192-byte region [ffff888003b14d00, ffff888003b14dc0)"}], "metrics": {"cvssMetricV31": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Primary", "cvssData": {"version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "baseScore": 7.8, "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "userInteraction": "NONE", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH"}, "exploitabilityScore": 1.8, "impactScore": 5.9}]}, "weaknesses": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Primary", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-416"}]}], "configurations": [{"nodes": [{"operator": "OR", "negate": false, "cpeMatch": [{"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "4.14", "versionEndExcluding": "5.10.253", "matchCriteriaId": "7144BCBC-124B-49FA-8BCC-259910F77E5A"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.11", "versionEndExcluding": "5.15.203", "matchCriteriaId": "20DDB3E9-AABF-4107-ADB0-5362AA067045"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.16", "versionEndExcluding": "6.1.168", "matchCriteriaId": "E2DDDCA1-6DAB-4018-B920-8F045DDD8D3B"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.2", "versionEndExcluding": "6.6.134", "matchCriteriaId": "F56F925B-BAF8-4F4B-B62F-1496AF19A307"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.7", "versionEndExcluding": "6.12.81", "matchCriteriaId": "6EF80433-B33B-43C5-8E64-0FA7B8DCE1BC"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.13", "versionEndExcluding": "6.18.22", "matchCriteriaId": "C9DF8BCE-36D3-475D-9D21-19E4F02F9029"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.19", "versionEndExcluding": "6.19.12", "matchCriteriaId": "0A2B9540-02D5-41B4-B16A-82AF66FD4F36"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "F253B622-8837-4245-BCE5-A7BF8FC76A16"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "4AE85AD8-4641-4E7C-A2F4-305E2CD9EE64"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "F666C8D8-6538-46D4-B318-87610DE64C34"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "02259FDA-961B-47BC-AE7F-93D7EC6E90C2"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "58A9FEFF-C040-420D-8F0A-BFDAAA1DF258"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*", "matchCriteriaId": "1D2315C0-D46F-4F85-9754-F9E5E11374A6"}]}]}], "references": [{"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2c16e4d64dd91227742dfe196a3e7b0568bef65a", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"]}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2cf2737c85a2ba2b52024dafe68ffad2676f97be", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"]}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/504ba4168466c91210c45acdc332479cfd5f2da6", "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06 ... 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