HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2026-43038
CRITICAL

CVE-2026-43038

Published: May 1, 2026· Updated: May 3, 2026

9.8
CVSS v3.1
EPSS:0.05%probability of exploitation in 30 daysPercentile:16.4th

Official Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ipv6: icmp: clear skb2->cb[] in ip6_err_gen_icmpv6_unreach()

Sashiko AI-review observed:

In ip6_err_gen_icmpv6_unreach(), the skb is an outer IPv4 ICMP error packet

where its cb contains an IPv4 inet_skb_parm. When skb is cloned into skb2

and passed to icmp6_send(), it uses IP6CB(skb2).

IP6CB interprets the IPv4 inet_skb_parm as an inet6_skb_parm. The cipso

offset in inet_skb_parm.opt directly overlaps with dsthao in inet6_skb_parm

at offset 18.

If an attacker sends a forged ICMPv4 error with a CIPSO IP option, dsthao

would be a non-zero offset. Inside icmp6_send(), mip6_addr_swap() is called

and uses ipv6_find_tlv(skb, opt->dsthao, IPV6_TLV_HAO).

This would scan the inner, attacker-controlled IPv6 packet starting at that

offset, potentially returning a fake TLV without checking if the remaining

packet length can hold the full 18-byte struct ipv6_destopt_hao.

Could mip6_addr_swap() then perform a 16-byte swap that extends past the end

of the packet data into skb_shared_info?

Should the cb array also be cleared in ip6_err_gen_icmpv6_unreach() and

ip6ip6_err() to prevent this?

This patch implements the first suggestion.

I am not sure if ip6ip6_err() needs to be changed.

A separate patch would be better anyway.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2026-43038 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

Mentioned vendors (from description):
Linux
CPE data not yet available in NVD for this CVE.

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

All References (8)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2026-43038
CVSS Score9.8 / 10
SeverityCRITICAL
CISA KEVNo
EPSS (30d)0.05%
PublishedMay 1, 2026

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2026-43038 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.