HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2026-43185
CRITICAL

CVE-2026-43185

Published: May 6, 2026· Updated: May 11, 2026

9.8
CVSS v3.1
EPSS:0.02%probability of exploitation in 30 daysPercentile:4.1th

Official Description

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

ksmbd: fix signededness bug in smb_direct_prepare_negotiation()

smb_direct_prepare_negotiation() casts an unsigned __u32 value

from sp->max_recv_size and req->preferred_send_size to a signed

int before computing min_t(int, ...). A maliciously provided

preferred_send_size of 0x80000000 will return as smaller than

max_recv_size, and then be used to set the maximum allowed

alowed receive size for the next message.

By sending a second message with a large value (>1420 bytes)

the attacker can then achieve a heap buffer overflow.

This fix replaces min_t(int, ...) with min_t(u32)

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2026-43185 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

Linux1 product
linux kernel
Source: NVD CPE · 2 total CPE entries

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.

Official Patches & Advisories

All References (3)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2026-43185
CVSS Score9.8 / 10
SeverityCRITICAL
CISA KEVNo
EPSS (30d)0.02%
Affected1 vendor
PublishedMay 6, 2026

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2026-43185 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.
CVE-2026-43185 — CVSS 9.8 CRITICAL | CTIWATCH.COM