Linux kernel UAF-like issue; widely deployed, could disrupt systems; high-profile kernel vulnerability.
CVE-2026-43402
Kernel use-after-free in kthread exit path; memory corruption risk.
Is CVE-2026-43402 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-43402 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 0.46% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2026-43402?
CVE-2026-43402 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-2026-43402?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-43402. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-43402 affect?
CVE-2026-43402 affects Linux kernel. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-43402?
Apply the kernel patch and reboot.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Local memory corruption via kthread exit path; could crash or enable privilege escalation to root.
Patch when possible
- affected>= 4d13f4304fa43471bfea101658a11feec7b28ac0 and < 4729c7b00a347fd37d0cbc265b85f2884c3e06b6
- affected>= 4d13f4304fa43471bfea101658a11feec7b28ac0 and < 5a591d7a5e48d30100943940a30a6ab41b15c672
- affected>= 4d13f4304fa43471bfea101658a11feec7b28ac0 and < 28aaa9c39945b7925a1cc1d513c8f21ed38f5e4f
- affected6.14
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.