crypto: af-alg - fix NULL pointer dereference in scatterwalk
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-476.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: af-alg - fix NULL pointer dereference in scatterwalk The AF_ALG interface fails to unmark the end of a Scatter/Gather List (SGL) when chaining a new af_alg_tsgl structure. If a sendmsg() fills an SGL exactly to MAX_SGL_ENTS, the last entry is marked as the end. A subsequent sendmsg() allocates a new SGL and chains it, but fails to clear the end marker on the previous SGL's last data entry. This causes the crypto scatterwalk to hit a premature end, returning NULL on sg_next() and leading to a kernel panic during dereference. Fix this by explicitly unmarking the end of the previous SGL when performing sg_chain() in af_alg_alloc_tsgl().
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.38 and later | 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.168, 6.6.134, 6.12.81, 6.18.22, 6.19.12, 7.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.38 and later Fixed in 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.168, 6.6.134, 6.12.81, 6.18.22, 6.19.12, 7.0 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 7
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38 to before 5.10.253; 5.11 to before 5.15.203; 5.16 to before 6.1.168; 6.2 to before 6.6.134; 6.7 to before 6.12.81; 6.13 to before 6.18.22; 6.19 to before 6.19.12 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38 to before 5.10.253; 5.11 to before 5.15.203; 5.16 to before 6.1.168; 6.2 to before 6.6.134; 6.7 to before 6.12.81; 6.13 to before 6.18.22; 6.19 to before 6.19.12 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.168, 6.6.134, 6.12.81, 6.18.22, 6.19.12, 7.0
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-43043
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-87mg-5j2r-6p32
- 2026-11-06 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f48d3dd99199180cf37d6253550c55e86372309a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f9acceae7b004956851fd4268edf9f518a9bce04
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7195350fb78538c25cd790d703f8f2c73ee0d395
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7cdf2c6381b21ab5ccf8116750d5582fcd6c0f49
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/44eafa39363e8d5dfda6a8c6eb6b45458ed4b948
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/00cbdec17c15d024a1c5002c7365df7624a18a75
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4b03ab0a587ec57eb7ddb5c115d84a42896f60f7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/62397b493e14107ae82d8b80938f293d95425bcb
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Sources
- CVE-2026-43043 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-43043 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-87mg-5j2r-6p32 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-43043 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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