How severe is CVE-2026-43481?

CVE-2026-43481 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2026-43481 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (2nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-43481?

CVE-2026-43481 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-43481?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

Does CVE-2026-43481 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2026-43481 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-30017.

When was CVE-2026-43481 published?

CVE-2026-43481 was published on 2026-05-13 and last updated on 2026-06-26.

CVE-2026-43481

CVE-2026-43481 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (2nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-30017
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2026-05-13
Last modified: 2026-06-26

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net-shapers: don't free reply skb after genlmsg_reply() genlmsg_reply() hands the reply skb to netlink, and netlink_unicast() consumes it on all return paths, whether the skb is queued successfully or freed on an error path. net_shaper_nl_get_doit() and net_shaper_nl_cap_get_doit() currently jump to free_msg after genlmsg_reply() fails and call nlmsg_free(msg), which can hit the same skb twice. Return the genlmsg_reply() error directly and keep free_msg only for pre-reply failures.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-43481?: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net-shapers: don't free reply skb after genlmsg_reply() genlmsg_reply() hands the reply skb to netlink, and netlink_unicast() consumes it on all return paths, whether the skb is queued successfully or freed on an error path. net_shaper_nl_get_doit() and net_shaper_nl_cap_get_doit() currently jump to free_msg after genlmsg_reply() fails and call nlmsg_free(msg), which can hit the same skb twice. Return the genlmsg_reply() error directly and keep free_msg only for pre-reply failures.
How severe is CVE-2026-43481?: CVE-2026-43481 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-43481 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (2nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-43481?: CVE-2026-43481 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-43481?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2026-43481 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2026-43481 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-30017.
When was CVE-2026-43481 published?: CVE-2026-43481 was published on 2026-05-13 and last updated on 2026-06-26.

References

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*

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