CVE-2026-43159
MediumIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: staging: rtl8723bs: fix null dereference in find_network The variable pwlan has the possibility of being NULL when passed into rtw_free_network_nolock() which would later dereference the variable.
CVSS 3.1 score
5.5
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness type
CWE-476CVE-2026-43159 is a NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability
What is NULL Pointer Dereference?
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. Learn more on MITRE CWE
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
4.12
and later are affected. Fixed in
5.10.253,
5.15.202,
6.1.165,
6.6.128,
6.12.75,
6.18.16,
6.19.6,
7.0
and their respective stable series.
References
The following references provide additional information about CVE-2026-43159 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/04d24a3654ed195485bc6346a9ef326fc494a34e
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1aa9c59f4b96a9056c02476c7ca89e96d15e0645
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b1d0c9a1f78836d0bce6fdd37f596f22c19b03e
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-43159?
CVE-2026-43159 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 , classified as a NULL Pointer Dereference flaw (CWE-476) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 4.12 onward and has been patched in 5.10.253, 5.15.202, 6.1.165 and others. CVE-2026-43159 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
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What is the CVSS score for CVE-2026-43159?
CVE-2026-43159 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. -
Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-43159?
Yes — CVE-2026-43159 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.10.253, 5.15.202, 6.1.165 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 4.12 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-43159 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2026-43159 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.
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What is NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476)?
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. View CWE-476 on MITRE CWE →