CVE-2026-43421
Published: May 8, 2026· Updated: May 12, 2026
Official Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
usb: gadget: f_ncm: Fix net_device lifecycle with device_move
The network device outlived its parent gadget device during
disconnection, resulting in dangling sysfs links and null pointer
dereference problems.
A prior attempt to solve this by removing SET_NETDEV_DEV entirely [1]
was reverted due to power management ordering concerns and a NO-CARRIER
regression.
A subsequent attempt to defer net_device allocation to bind [2] broke
1:1 mapping between function instance and network device, making it
impossible for configfs to report the resolved interface name. This
results in a regression where the DHCP server fails on pmOS.
Use device_move to reparent the net_device between the gadget device and
/sys/devices/virtual/ across bind/unbind cycles. This preserves the
network interface across USB reconnection, allowing the DHCP server to
retain their binding.
Introduce gether_attach_gadget()/gether_detach_gadget() helpers and use
__free(detach_gadget) macro to undo attachment on bind failure. The
bind_count ensures device_move executes only on the first bind.
[1] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/[email protected]/
[2] https://lore.kernel.org/linux-usb/[email protected]/
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-43421 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (4)
Quick Facts
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-43421 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts