HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2026-43216
MEDIUM

CVE-2026-43216

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

5.5
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:

net: Drop the lock in skb_may_tx_timestamp()

skb_may_tx_timestamp() may acquire sock::sk_callback_lock. The lock must

not be taken in IRQ context, only softirq is okay. A few drivers receive

the timestamp via a dedicated interrupt and complete the TX timestamp

from that handler. This will lead to a deadlock if the lock is already

write-locked on the same CPU.

Taking the lock can be avoided. The socket (pointed by the skb) will

remain valid until the skb is released. The ->sk_socket and ->file

member will be set to NULL once the user closes the socket which may

happen before the timestamp arrives.

If we happen to observe the pointer while the socket is closing but

before the pointer is set to NULL then we may use it because both

pointer (and the file's cred member) are RCU freed.

Drop the lock. Use READ_ONCE() to obtain the individual pointer. Add a

matching WRITE_ONCE() where the pointer are cleared.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2026-43216 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 availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 5.5.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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-2026-43216
CVSS Score5.5 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
CISA KEVNo
EPSS (30d)0.02%
Affected1 vendor
PublishedMay 6, 2026

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2026-43216 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.