CVE-2026-43492
Published: May 19, 2026· Updated: May 19, 2026
Official Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
lib/crypto: mpi: Fix integer underflow in mpi_read_raw_from_sgl()
Yiming reports an integer underflow in mpi_read_raw_from_sgl() when
subtracting "lzeros" from the unsigned "nbytes".
For this to happen, the scatterlist "sgl" needs to occupy more bytes
than the "nbytes" parameter and the first "nbytes + 1" bytes of the
scatterlist must be zero. Under these conditions, the while loop
iterating over the scatterlist will count more zeroes than "nbytes",
subtract the number of zeroes from "nbytes" and cause the underflow.
When commit 2d4d1eea540b ("lib/mpi: Add mpi sgl helpers") originally
introduced the bug, it couldn't be triggered because all callers of
mpi_read_raw_from_sgl() passed a scatterlist whose length was equal to
"nbytes".
However since commit 63ba4d67594a ("KEYS: asymmetric: Use new crypto
interface without scatterlists"), the underflow can now actually be
triggered. When invoking a KEYCTL_PKEY_ENCRYPT system call with a
larger "out_len" than "in_len" and filling the "in" buffer with zeroes,
crypto_akcipher_sync_prep() will create an all-zero scatterlist used for
both the "src" and "dst" member of struct akcipher_request and thereby
fulfil the conditions to trigger the bug:
sys_keyctl()
keyctl_pkey_e_d_s()
asymmetric_key_eds_op()
software_key_eds_op()
crypto_akcipher_sync_encrypt()
crypto_akcipher_sync_prep()
crypto_akcipher_encrypt()
rsa_enc()
mpi_read_raw_from_sgl()
To the user this will be visible as a DoS as the kernel spins forever,
causing soft lockup splats as a side effect.
Fix it.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-43492 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 (5)
Quick Facts
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-43492 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts