CVE-2026-43091
Published: May 6, 2026· Updated: May 8, 2026
Official Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
xfrm: Wait for RCU readers during policy netns exit
xfrm_policy_fini() frees the policy_bydst hash tables after flushing the
policy work items and deleting all policies, but it does not wait for
concurrent RCU readers to leave their read-side critical sections first.
The policy_bydst tables are published via rcu_assign_pointer() and are
looked up through rcu_dereference_check(), so netns teardown must also
wait for an RCU grace period before freeing the table memory.
Fix this by adding synchronize_rcu() before freeing the policy hash tables.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-43091 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
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 7.8.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (5)
Quick Facts
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-43091 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts