lib/crypto: chacha: Zeroize permuted_state before it leaves scope
Priority LOW 33Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: lib/crypto: chacha: Zeroize permuted_state before it leaves scope Since the ChaCha permutation is invertible, the local variable 'permuted_state' is sufficient to compute the original 'state', and thus the key, even after the permutation has been done. While the kernel is quite inconsistent about zeroizing secrets on the stack (and some prominent userspace crypto libraries don't bother at all since it's not guaranteed to work anyway), the kernel does try to do it as a best practice, especially in cases involving the RNG. Thus, explicitly zeroize 'permuted_state' before it goes out of scope.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00425 37th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Linux (Linux): 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.169 +5
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 4.2 and later | 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.169, 6.6.135, 6.12.82, 6.18.22, 6.19.12, 7.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.2 and later Fixed in 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.169, 6.6.135, 6.12.82, 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:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.2 to before 5.10.253; 5.11 to before 5.15.203; 5.16 to before 6.1.169; 6.2 to before 6.6.135; 6.7 to before 6.12.82; 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 4.2 to before 5.10.253; 5.11 to before 5.15.203; 5.16 to before 6.1.169; 6.2 to before 6.6.135; 6.7 to before 6.12.82; 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, 6.1.169, 6.6.135, 6.12.82, 6.18.22, 6.19.12, 7.0
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-43336
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-cw2x-g67m-8387
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e90ee961af515a484f091678ce58a4c3f7b73b02
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b416a4245f04a450c67a13e6d96056c37c5b33fe
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bd62d9b44464a6c20a34a74068e7a784d0afa04a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/066c760acead1fb743bae294dbd89f479ae43b9b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1d761e5a7340c46479fb2399598f331e4fe2c633
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1933249263c3a98df79992f61a566476e4163bcc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/91999af43ca2125e3b2c18fcfc02912ada02efc3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e5046823f8fa3677341b541a25af2fcb99a5b1e0
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Sources
- CVE-2026-43336 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-43336 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-cw2x-g67m-8387 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-43336 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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