CVE-2026-43388
HighIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/damon/core: clear walk_control on inactive context in damos_walk() damos_walk() sets ctx->walk_control to the caller-provided control structure before checking whether the context is running. If the context is inactive (damon_is_running() returns false), the function returns -EINVAL without clearing ctx->walk_control. This leaves a dangling pointer to a stack-allocated structure that will be freed when the caller returns. This is structurally identical to the bug fixed in commit f9132fbc2e83 ("mm/damon/core: remove call_control in inactive contexts") for damon_call(), which had the same pattern of linking a control object and returning an error without unlinking it. The dangling walk_control pointer can cause: 1. Use-after-free if the context is later started and kdamond dereferences ctx->walk_control (e.g., in damos_walk_cancel() which writes to control->canceled and calls complete()) 2. Permanent -EBUSY from subsequent damos_walk() calls, since the stale pointer is non-NULL Nonetheless, the real user impact is quite restrictive. The use-after-free is impossible because there is no damos_walk() callers who starts the context later. The permanent -EBUSY can actually confuse users, as DAMON is not running. But the symptom is kept only while the context is turned off. Turning it on again will make DAMON internally uses a newly generated damon_ctx object that doesn't have the invalid damos_walk_control pointer, so everything will work fine again. Fix this by clearing ctx->walk_control under walk_control_lock before returning -EINVAL, mirroring the fix pattern from f9132fbc2e83.
CVSS 3.1 score
7.8
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness type
CWE-416CVE-2026-43388 is a Use After Free vulnerability
What is Use After Free?
The product references memory after it has been freed, which may cause it to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. Learn more on MITRE CWE
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
6.14
and later are affected. Fixed in
6.18.19,
6.19.9,
7.0
and their respective stable series.
References
The following references provide additional information about CVE-2026-43388 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/9320c77134ab8d7701e20608bbf08517df4fa321
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ce0aa47c963b8c3e5beace89e2b5a665a64b5b6b
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d210fdcac9c0d1380eab448aebc93f602c1cd4e6
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-43388?
CVE-2026-43388 is a High severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10 , classified as an Use After Free flaw (CWE-416) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 6.14 onward and has been patched in 6.18.19, 6.19.9 and 7.0. CVE-2026-43388 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-2026-43388?
CVE-2026-43388 has a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10, rated High severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. -
Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-43388?
Yes — CVE-2026-43388 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.18.19, 6.19.9 and 7.0. If you are running Linux kernel 6.14 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-43388 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2026-43388 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 Use After Free (CWE-416)?
The product references memory after it has been freed, which may cause it to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. View CWE-416 on MITRE CWE →