Linux Kernel up to 6.19.11 netfilter nf_conntrack_helper_unregister use after free

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7.7	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.19.11. The impacted element is the function nf_conntrack_helper_unregister of the component netfilter. This manipulation causes use after free. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2026-43027. No exploit exists. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.19.11 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function nf_conntrack_helper_unregister of the component netfilter. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_conntrack_helper: pass helper to expect cleanup nf_conntrack_helper_unregister() calls nf_ct_expect_iterate_destroy() to remove expectations belonging to the helper being unregistered. However, it passes NULL instead of the helper pointer as the data argument, so expect_iter_me() never matches any expectation and all of them survive the cleanup. After unregister returns, nfnl_cthelper_del() frees the helper object immediately. Subsequent expectation dumps or packet-driven init_conntrack() calls then dereference the freed exp->helper, causing a use-after-free. Pass the actual helper pointer so expectations referencing it are properly destroyed before the helper object is freed. BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in string+0x38f/0x430 Read of size 1 at addr ffff888003b14d20 by task poc/103 Call Trace: string+0x38f/0x430 vsnprintf+0x3cc/0x1170 seq_printf+0x17a/0x240 exp_seq_show+0x2e5/0x560 seq_read_iter+0x419/0x1280 proc_reg_read+0x1ac/0x270 vfs_read+0x179/0x930 ksys_read+0xef/0x1c0 Freed by task 103: The buggy address is located 32 bytes inside of freed 192-byte region [ffff888003b14d00, ffff888003b14dc0)

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-43027 since 05/01/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 07/17/2026).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 316948 (Amazon Linux 2023 : bpftool6.18, kernel6.18, kernel6.18-devel (ALAS2023-2026-1746)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.168, 6.6.134, 6.12.81, 6.18.22 or 6.19.12 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 5cf28d5c8dcbbe8af6d3b145babe491906d7bad1/504ba4168466c91210c45acdc332479cfd5f2da6/dc1739eff48e34cc71d4e2f03715493fbcebd8af/2cf2737c85a2ba2b52024dafe68ffad2676f97be/2c16e4d64dd91227742dfe196a3e7b0568bef65a/620f3d14c1ef51d425060a3056ad8dbae8f998a3/90bd7e8501349db3006d21fbc09df9ffcb172965/a242a9ae58aa46ff7dae51ce64150a93957abe65 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at Tenable (316948). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.10.252
• 5.15.202
• 6.1.167
• 6.6.133
• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3
• 6.12.4
• 6.12.5
• 6.12.6
• 6.12.7
• 6.12.8
• 6.12.9
• 6.12.10
• 6.12.11
• 6.12.12
• 6.12.13
• 6.12.14
• 6.12.15
• 6.12.16
• 6.12.17
• 6.12.18
• 6.12.19
• 6.12.20
• 6.12.21
• 6.12.22
• 6.12.23
• 6.12.24
• 6.12.25
• 6.12.26
• 6.12.27
• 6.12.28
• 6.12.29
• 6.12.30
• 6.12.31
• 6.12.32
• 6.12.33
• 6.12.34
• 6.12.35
• 6.12.36
• 6.12.37
• 6.12.38
• 6.12.39
• 6.12.40
• 6.12.41
• 6.12.42
• 6.12.43
• 6.12.44
• 6.12.45
• 6.12.46
• 6.12.47
• 6.12.48
• 6.12.49
• 6.12.50
• 6.12.51
• 6.12.52
• 6.12.53
• 6.12.54
• 6.12.55
• 6.12.56
• 6.12.57
• 6.12.58
• 6.12.59
• 6.12.60
• 6.12.61
• 6.12.62
• 6.12.63
• 6.12.64
• 6.12.65
• 6.12.66
• 6.12.67
• 6.12.68
• 6.12.69
• 6.12.70
• 6.12.71
• 6.12.72
• 6.12.73
• 6.12.74
• 6.12.75
• 6.12.76
• 6.12.77
• 6.12.78
• 6.12.79
• 6.12.80
• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.19.0
• 6.19.1
• 6.19.2
• 6.19.3
• 6.19.4
• 6.19.5
• 6.19.6
• 6.19.7
• 6.19.8
• 6.19.9
• 6.19.10
• 6.19.11

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.9
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.7

VulDB Base Score: 8.0
VulDB Temp Score: 7.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 7.8
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Nessus ID: 316948
Nessus Name: Amazon Linux 2023 : bpftool6.18, kernel6.18, kernel6.18-devel (ALAS2023-2026-1746)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 5.10.253/5.15.203/6.1.168/6.6.134/6.12.81/6.18.22/6.19.12
Patch: 5cf28d5c8dcbbe8af6d3b145babe491906d7bad1/504ba4168466c91210c45acdc332479cfd5f2da6/dc1739eff48e34cc71d4e2f03715493fbcebd8af/2cf2737c85a2ba2b52024dafe68ffad2676f97be/2c16e4d64dd91227742dfe196a3e7b0568bef65a/620f3d14c1ef51d425060a3056ad8dbae8f998a3/90bd7e8501349db3006d21fbc09df9ffcb172965/a242a9ae58aa46ff7dae51ce64150a93957abe65

Timelineinfo

05/01/2026 Advisory disclosed
05/01/2026 +0 days CVE reserved
05/01/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
07/17/2026 +77 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-43027 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-43027
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-360697

Entryinfo

Created: 05/01/2026 17:59
Updated: 07/17/2026 11:18
Changes: 05/01/2026 17:59 (59), 05/28/2026 06:50 (2), 07/17/2026 11:18 (11)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Discussion

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