CVE-2026-43116: netfilter: ctnetlink: ensure safe access to master conntrack

Published May 6, 2026
·
Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netfilter: ctnetlink: ensure safe access to master conntrack

Holding reference on the expectation is not sufficient, the master conntrack object can just go away, making exp->master invalid.

To access exp->master safely:

- Grab the nfconntrackexpectlock, this gets serialized with cleanfromlists() which also holds this lock when the master conntrack goes away.

- Hold reference on master conntrack via nfconntrackfindget(). Not so easy since the master tuple to look up for the master conntrack is not available in the existing problematic paths.

This patch goes for extending the nfconntrackexpectlock section to address this issue for simplicity, in the cases that are described below this is just slightly extending the lock section.

The add expectation command already holds a reference to the master conntrack from ctnetlinkcreateexpect().

However, the delete expectation command needs to grab the spinlock before looking up for the expectation. Expand the existing spinlock section to address this to cover the expectation lookup. Note that, the nfctexpectiteratenet() calls already grabs the spinlock while iterating over the expectation table, which is correct.

The get expectation command needs to grab the spinlock to ensure master conntrack does not go away. This also expands the existing spinlock section to cover the expectation lookup too. I needed to move the netlink skb allocation out of the spinlock to keep it GFPKERNEL.

For the expectation events, the IPEXPDESTROY event is already delivered under the spinlock, just move the delivery of IPEXPNEW under the spinlock too because the master conntrack event cache is reached through exp->master.

While at it, add lockdep notations to help identify what codepaths need to grab the spinlock.

Affected Software

8 affected components
Linux Linux kernel
Linux Linux kernel>=2.6.16<6.18.24
Linux Linux kernel>=6.19<6.19.14
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc3
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc4
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc5

Event History

May 6, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·07:40 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·07:40 AM
DescriptionSeverity
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·10:02 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via NVD·10:16 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-43116?

CVE-2026-43116 has a medium severity rating due to potential denial of service risks associated with conntrack access.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-43116?

To fix CVE-2026-43116, upgrade to the latest available patch for your affected Linux kernel version.

3

What versions of the Linux kernel are affected by CVE-2026-43116?

CVE-2026-43116 affects multiple Linux kernel versions from 2.6.16 up to 7.0-rc5.

4

What is the impact of CVE-2026-43116?

The impact of CVE-2026-43116 includes potential crashes or instability in the system due to improper management of conntrack references.

5

Is CVE-2026-43116 exploitable by remote attackers?

CVE-2026-43116 is primarily a local privilege escalation issue, but it may indirectly allow remote attackers to cause denial of service.

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