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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2026-43336: Linux kernel · lib/crypto: chacha: Zeroize permuted_state before it leaves scope

Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.5 High : upgrade to 7.0.0-1006.6 soon.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 12:55 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.5High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.4% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 36% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch
Available – fixed in 7.0.0-1006.6
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 8 May 2026

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq 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 the Ubuntu linux-nvidia package to 7.0.0-1006.6.

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde@7.0.0-1008.8?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threatsAffected
  • 7.0.0-1003.3 – 7.0.0-1008.8
4 affected builds
Fixed in–
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-nvidiapkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-nvidia@7.0.0-1006.6?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threatsAffected
  • <7.0.0-1006.6
Fixed in
  • 7.0.0-1006.6
Ubuntu 25.10linuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux@6.17.0-40.40?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • 6.14.0-15.15 – 6.17.0-40.40
20 affected builds
Fixed in–
Ubuntu 25.10linux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws@6.17.0-1019.19?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • 6.14.0-1005.5 – 6.17.0-1019.19
17 affected builds
Fixed in–
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure@6.17.0-1020.20?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • 6.14.0-1004.4 – 6.17.0-1020.20
16 affected builds
Fixed in–
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde@6.17.0-1017.17?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • 6.17.0-1003.3 – 6.17.0-1017.17
10 affected builds
Fixed in–

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

AI-suggested

A patch is available and should be applied to affected linux-aws kernel versions to ensure 'permuted_state' is zeroized properly. The vendor advisory from Ubuntu confirms that this and other Linux kernel vulnerabilities have been fixed. Users should update to the fixed kernel versions as per their distribution's security notices. No additional mitigation steps are indicated beyond applying the official fix.

Description

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's cryptographic library (lib/crypto) involving the ChaCha cipher was resolved by zeroizing the 'permuted_state' variable before it leaves scope. Because the ChaCha permutation is invertible, the 'permuted_state' could be used to recover the original state and thus the key if not properly cleared. This fix improves the handling of sensitive cryptographic data in memory. The vulnerability affects specific linux-aws kernel versions. A patch is available to address this issue.

References

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