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major vulnerability· requires attention

Kernel-level bug in Linux core infrastructure; affects widely used systems; could crash or corrupt memory, disrupting operations.

Systems

CVE-2026-43208

9.8
Critical
EPSS 0.48%Patch availableMay 8, 2026

Linux kernel RPS flow_id bug may crash kernel.

common questions

Is CVE-2026-43208 being exploited?

Not confirmed. CVE-2026-43208 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 0.48% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How severe is CVE-2026-43208?

CVE-2026-43208 is rated Critical with a CVSS score of 9.8. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.

Is there a patch for CVE-2026-43208?

Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-43208. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.

What does CVE-2026-43208 affect?

CVE-2026-43208 affects Linux kernel. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.

What should I do about CVE-2026-43208?

Apply patch, update kernel, reboot.

Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.

executive summary
technical analysis
affected
Linux kernel
impact

Flow_id miscalc in set_rps_cpu may cause kernel crash or memory corruption, with DoS risk.

action required

Patch when possible

affected versions
Linux Linux
  • affected>= 48aa30443e52c9666d5cd5e67532e475f212337e and < 5455a232edea6b946b99449f15ca771a8874a5a6
  • affected>= 48aa30443e52c9666d5cd5e67532e475f212337e and < ed712dc0d64dee5f0d05e4d8ca57711f8a9c850c
  • affected>= 48aa30443e52c9666d5cd5e67532e475f212337e and < 8a8a9fac9efa6423fd74938b940cb7d731780718
  • affected6.18
vendor says fixed in< 6.18, >= 6.18.16 and <= 6.18.*, >= 6.19.6 and <= 6.19.*, >= 7.0 and <= *

As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.

how to fix
Remediation steps are tailored for users whose stack is affected. Add this technology to your stack to see the fix checklist.
references
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