CVE-2026-43252
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Use-After-Free in Linux Kernel MPTCP PM

Publication date: 2026-05-06

Last updated on: 2026-05-06

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mptcp: pm: in-kernel: always set ID as avail when rm endp Syzkaller managed to find a combination of actions that was generating this warning: WARNING: net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1074 at __mark_subflow_endp_available net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1074 [inline], CPU#1: syz.7.48/2535 WARNING: net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1074 at mptcp_pm_nl_fullmesh net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1446 [inline], CPU#1: syz.7.48/2535 WARNING: net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1074 at mptcp_pm_nl_set_flags_all net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1474 [inline], CPU#1: syz.7.48/2535 WARNING: net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1074 at mptcp_pm_nl_set_flags+0x5de/0x640 net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1538, CPU#1: syz.7.48/2535 Modules linked in: CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 2535 Comm: syz.7.48 Not tainted 6.18.0-03987-gea5f5e676cf5 #17 PREEMPT(voluntary) Hardware name: QEMU Ubuntu 25.10 PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.17.0-debian-1.17.0-1 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:__mark_subflow_endp_available net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1074 [inline] RIP: 0010:mptcp_pm_nl_fullmesh net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1446 [inline] RIP: 0010:mptcp_pm_nl_set_flags_all net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1474 [inline] RIP: 0010:mptcp_pm_nl_set_flags+0x5de/0x640 net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1538 Code: 89 c7 e8 c5 8c 73 fe e9 f7 fd ff ff 49 83 ef 80 e8 b7 8c 73 fe 4c 89 ff be 03 00 00 00 e8 4a 29 e3 fe eb ac e8 a3 8c 73 fe 90 <0f> 0b 90 e9 3d ff ff ff e8 95 8c 73 fe b8 a1 ff ff ff eb 1a e8 89 RSP: 0018:ffffc9001535b820 EFLAGS: 00010287 netdevsim0: tun_chr_ioctl cmd 1074025677 RAX: ffffffff82da294d RBX: 0000000000000001 RCX: 0000000000080000 RDX: ffffc900096d0000 RSI: 00000000000006d6 RDI: 00000000000006d7 netdevsim0: linktype set to 823 RBP: ffff88802cdb2240 R08: 00000000000104ae R09: ffffffffffffffff R10: ffffffff82da27d4 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: ffff88801246d8c0 R14: ffffc9001535b8b8 R15: ffff88802cdb1800 FS: 00007fc6ac5a76c0(0000) GS:ffff8880f90c8000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 netlink: 'syz.3.50': attribute type 5 has an invalid length. CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 netlink: 1232 bytes leftover after parsing attributes in process `syz.3.50'. CR2: 0000200000010000 CR3: 0000000025b1a000 CR4: 0000000000350ef0 Call Trace: <TASK> mptcp_pm_set_flags net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:277 [inline] mptcp_pm_nl_set_flags_doit+0x1d7/0x210 net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:282 genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0x117/0x180 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1115 genl_family_rcv_msg net/netlink/genetlink.c:1195 [inline] genl_rcv_msg+0x3a8/0x3f0 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1210 netlink_rcv_skb+0x16d/0x240 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2550 genl_rcv+0x28/0x40 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1219 netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1318 [inline] netlink_unicast+0x3e9/0x4c0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1344 netlink_sendmsg+0x4ab/0x5b0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1894 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:718 [inline] __sock_sendmsg+0xc9/0xf0 net/socket.c:733 ____sys_sendmsg+0x272/0x3b0 net/socket.c:2608 ___sys_sendmsg+0x2de/0x320 net/socket.c:2662 __sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2694 [inline] __do_sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2699 [inline] __se_sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2697 [inline] __x64_sys_sendmsg+0x110/0x1a0 net/socket.c:2697 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:63 [inline] do_syscall_64+0xed/0x360 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f RIP: 0033:0x7fc6adb66f6d Code: ff c3 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 90 f3 0f 1e fa 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 e8 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007fc6ac5a6ff8 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 000000000000002e RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007fc6addf5fa0 RCX: 00007fc6adb66f6d RDX: 0000000000048084 RSI: 00002000000002c0 RDI: 000000000000000e RBP: 0000000000000000 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 000000000000 ---truncated---
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Meta Information
Published
2026-05-06
Last Modified
2026-05-06
Generated
2026-05-07
AI Q&A
2026-05-06
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-43252
EUVD
EUVD-2026-27811
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel From 6.18.0 (inc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?

This vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's Multipath TCP (MPTCP) path manager (pm) in the in-kernel implementation. It involves the improper handling of endpoint IDs, where the ID is always set as available when removing an endpoint. This issue was discovered through Syzkaller, a kernel fuzzing tool, which triggered warnings related to the function __mark_subflow_endp_available in the MPTCP path manager code.

The vulnerability manifests as a warning in the kernel logs indicating potential mishandling of subflow endpoints in MPTCP, which could lead to unexpected behavior in the network stack.


How can this vulnerability impact me? :

The vulnerability could cause instability or unexpected behavior in the Linux kernel's network stack, specifically in the Multipath TCP implementation. This might lead to warnings or errors during network operations involving MPTCP, potentially affecting network reliability or performance.

However, there is no explicit information provided about exploitation, privilege escalation, data leakage, or denial of service impacts.


How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?

This vulnerability can be detected by monitoring the Linux kernel logs for specific warning messages related to the mptcp subsystem. The key indicator is the warning message originating from net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c at line 1074, such as:

  • WARNING: net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1074 at __mark_subflow_endp_available net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1074

To detect this on your system, you can use the following command to search kernel logs for these warnings:

  • sudo dmesg | grep 'net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1074'

Alternatively, you can monitor the system journal if using systemd:

  • sudo journalctl -k | grep 'net/mptcp/pm_kernel.c:1074'

These commands help identify if the kernel is generating the specific warning messages that indicate the presence of this vulnerability.


What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?

The immediate mitigation step is to update the Linux kernel to a version where this vulnerability has been resolved. The issue was fixed in the kernel source code related to the mptcp subsystem, so applying the latest kernel patches or upgrading to a fixed kernel version will address the problem.

Until the kernel is updated, monitoring kernel logs for the warning messages can help detect exploitation attempts, but no other specific mitigation steps are provided.


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