CVE-2026-43416
MediumIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: powerpc, perf: Check that current->mm is alive before getting user callchain It may happen that mm is already released, which leads to kernel panic. This adds the NULL check for current->mm, similarly to commit 20afc60f892d ("x86, perf: Check that current->mm is alive before getting user callchain"). I was getting this panic when running a profiling BPF program (profile.py from bcc-tools): [26215.051935] Kernel attempted to read user page (588) - exploit attempt? (uid: 0) [26215.051950] BUG: Kernel NULL pointer dereference on read at 0x00000588 [26215.051952] Faulting instruction address: 0xc00000000020fac0 [26215.051957] Oops: Kernel access of bad area, sig: 11 [#1] [...] [26215.052049] Call Trace: [26215.052050] [c000000061da6d30] [c00000000020fc10] perf_callchain_user_64+0x2d0/0x490 (unreliable) [26215.052054] [c000000061da6dc0] [c00000000020f92c] perf_callchain_user+0x1c/0x30 [26215.052057] [c000000061da6de0] [c0000000005ab2a0] get_perf_callchain+0x100/0x360 [26215.052063] [c000000061da6e70] [c000000000573bc8] bpf_get_stackid+0x88/0xf0 [26215.052067] [c000000061da6ea0] [c008000000042258] bpf_prog_16d4ab9ab662f669_do_perf_event+0xf8/0x274 [...] In addition, move storing the top-level stack entry to generic perf_callchain_user to make sure the top-evel entry is always captured, even if current->mm is NULL. [Maddy: fixed message to avoid checkpatch format style error]
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-2026-43416 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
2.6.32
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-2026-43416 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/7e5f60b8cfc02a2b23a40a5f5fd2fa81d010e737
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/98074e16742ae87fb82e234b419783c5ffc9baea
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e9bbfb4bfa86c6b5515b868d6982ac60505d7e39
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-43416?
CVE-2026-43416 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 2.6.32 onward and has been patched in 6.18.19, 6.19.9 and 7.0. CVE-2026-43416 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-2026-43416?
CVE-2026-43416 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-2026-43416?
Yes — CVE-2026-43416 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.18.19, 6.19.9 and 7.0. If you are running Linux kernel 2.6.32 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-43416 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2026-43416 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 →