CVE-2026-43088: Linux kernel · net: af_key: zero aligned sockaddr tail in PF_KEY exports
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · fixed in edd446ee7cd3d02cac246168063d5b3e9ea68460 : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 6 Nov 2026, 16:18 UTC
Rated Medium by Threat Radar's AI analysis · No CVSS score from NVD or the CNA
Thin evidence
One scorer or none- 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, 2026-11-06.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in edd446ee7cd3d02cac246168063d5b3e9ea68460, e357c3cf8a44d4ec1f49ad6981e4ab9704354347, 746ee79d9e140f0e9e56f5123eaa88ad9332de7b +5
Exploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 6 May 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: 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 6 Nov 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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AI-suggested
A fix is available and has been applied in specific Linux kernel commits following version 2.6.12. Users and administrators should upgrade to a Linux kernel version that includes these fixes to remediate the vulnerability. Since this is a kernel-level issue, applying the official patches or updating the kernel is the recommended mitigation.
Description
CVE-2026-43088 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's PF_KEY export paths related to the handling of sockaddr_in6 structures. The issue arises because the function pfkey_sockaddr_fill() initializes only the first 28 bytes of the sockaddr_in6 structure, leaving the final 4 bytes uninitialized. This affects certain PF_KEY messages such as SADB_ACQUIRE, SADB_X_NAT_T_NEW_MAPPING, and SADB_X_MIGRATE. The vulnerability has been fixed by clearing the aligned sockaddr tail after pfkey_sockaddr_fill() in the affected export paths.
References
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6df5f90175fe4c584e9960b6c00131a7bf2b5399 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/746ee79d9e140f0e9e56f5123eaa88ad9332de7b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e357c3cf8a44d4ec1f49ad6981e4ab9704354347 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c19cb8a84ef709d57943bd6664cf31cb91ba6ec (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/11cbf294bac623bd57296f231199193087f57b4a (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/edd446ee7cd3d02cac246168063d5b3e9ea68460 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e74f974359b5382ecbe8536abbb5b837eb6c724 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/426c355742f02cf743b347d9d7dbdc1bfbfa31ef (opens in a new tab)