CVE-2026-43272: ring-buffer: Fix possible dereference of uninitialized pointer
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ring-buffer: Fix possible dereference of uninitialized pointer
There is a pointer headpage in rbmetavalidateevents() which is not initialized at the beginning of a function. This pointer can be dereferenced if there is a failure during reader page validation. In this case the control is passed to "invalid" label where the pointer is dereferenced in a loop.
To fix the issue initialize orighead and headpage before calling rbvalidatebuffer.
Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE.
Affected Software
Remediation
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-43272?
CVE-2026-43272 has a medium severity rating due to the potential dereference of an uninitialized pointer in the Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2026-43272?
To resolve CVE-2026-43272, update your Linux kernel to the version that includes the fix for this vulnerability.
Which versions of the Linux kernel are affected by CVE-2026-43272?
CVE-2026-43272 affects certain versions of the Linux kernel that have not implemented the patch addressing this vulnerability.
What types of attacks can exploit CVE-2026-43272?
Exploitation of CVE-2026-43272 could allow an attacker to gain elevated privileges or cause a denial of service by dereferencing an uninitialized pointer.
Is there a workaround for CVE-2026-43272 if I cannot update my Linux kernel?
Currently, there are no known workarounds for CVE-2026-43272, so updating to a fixed version is highly recommended.