CVE-2026-43025: Linux kernel · netfilter: ctnetlink: ignore explicit helper on new expectations
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.3 High · fixed in e135f8e8212cbed12a03ab8dec77fa1247139897 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 2% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- No evidence of active exploitation and no public proof of concept
- Automatable
- Attackers cannot reliably automate steps 1–4 of the kill chain
- Technical impact
- Limited control over the software or limited information exposure
CISA SSVC assessment, 2026-10-16.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in e135f8e8212cbed12a03ab8dec77fa1247139897, 917b61fa2042f11e2af4c428e43f08199586633a, 187b6ec5229ea93cb04c4f6d3b52efc80f513d0d +3
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 1 May 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ctnetlink: ignore explicit helper on new expectations Use the existing master conntrack helper, anything else is not really supported and it just makes validation more complicated, so just ignore what helper userspace suggests for this expectation. This was uncovered when validating CTA_EXPECT_CLASS via different helper provided by userspace than the existing master conntrack helper: BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in nf_ct_expect_related_report+0x2479/0x27c0 Read of size 4 at addr ffff8880043fe408 by task poc/102 Call Trace: nf_ct_expect_related_report+0x2479/0x27c0 ctnetlink_create_expect+0x22b/0x3b0 ctnetlink_new_expect+0x4bd/0x5c0 nfnetlink_rcv_msg+0x67a/0x950 netlink_rcv_skb+0x120/0x350 Allowing to read kernel memory bytes off the expectation boundary. CTA_EXPECT_HELP_NAME is still used to offer the helper name to userspace via netlink dump.
References
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e135f8e8212cbed12a03ab8dec77fa1247139897 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2ea0f35f235f70c133ad61fe05ba013753b978c6 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0f6c33697ccfac6499d0b7a4dbdec5d3a3a566cd (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/187b6ec5229ea93cb04c4f6d3b52efc80f513d0d (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/21a04c31db4057deec85fcd6cc63d720b38819c3 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/917b61fa2042f11e2af4c428e43f08199586633a (opens in a new tab)
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-082556.html (opens in a new tab)
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-019113.html (opens in a new tab)
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-457936.html (opens in a new tab)