CVE-2026-43432: usb: xhci: Fix memory leak in xhci_disable_slot()

Published May 8, 2026
·
Updated

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

usb: xhci: Fix memory leak in xhcidisableslot()

xhcialloccommand() allocates a command structure and, when the second argument is true, also allocates a completion structure. Currently, the error handling path in xhcidisableslot() only frees the command structure using kfree(), causing the completion structure to leak.

Use xhcifreecommand() instead of kfree(). xhcifreecommand() correctly frees both the command structure and the associated completion structure. Since the command structure is allocated with zero-initialization, command->inctx is NULL and will not be erroneously freed by xhcifreecommand().

This bug was found using an experimental static analysis tool we are developing. The tool is based on the LLVM framework and is specifically designed to detect memory management issues. It is currently under active development and not yet publicly available, but we plan to open-source it after our research is published.

The bug was originally detected on v6.13-rc1 using our static analysis tool, and we have verified that the issue persists in the latest mainline kernel.

We performed build testing on x8664 with allyesconfig using GCC=11.4.0. Since triggering these error paths in xhcidisableslot() requires specific hardware conditions or abnormal state, we were unable to construct a test case to reliably trigger these specific error paths at runtime.

Affected Software

14 affected components
Linux Linux kernel
Linux Linux kernel>=4.19.221<4.20
Linux Linux kernel>=5.4.165<5.5
Linux Linux kernel>=5.10.85<5.10.253
Linux Linux kernel>=5.15.8<5.15.203
Linux Linux kernel>=5.16<6.1.167
Linux Linux kernel>=6.2<6.6.130
Linux Linux kernel>=6.7<6.12.78
Linux Linux kernel>=6.13<6.18.19
Linux Linux kernel>=6.19<6.19.9
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc3
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc4

Event History

May 8, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·02:22 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·02:22 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·03:16 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-43432?

CVE-2026-43432 has a medium severity rating due to its potential for memory leak issues.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-43432?

To fix CVE-2026-43432, update your Linux kernel to the latest version where the memory leak in xhci_disable_slot() has been resolved.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2026-43432?

CVE-2026-43432 affects various Linux kernel versions that implement the xHCI USB controller drivers.

4

What does CVE-2026-43432 impact?

CVE-2026-43432 impacts system stability by potentially causing memory leaks in systems utilizing USB xHCI.

5

Is CVE-2026-43432 exploitable?

While CVE-2026-43432 is primarily a memory leak, it could lead to denial of service scenarios if exploited under certain conditions.

Contact

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