CVE-2026-52943

Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: skbuff: fix missing zerocopy reference in pskb_carve helpers pskb_carve_inside_header() and pskb_carve_inside_nonlinear() both copy the old skb_shared_info header into a new buffer via memcpy(), which includes the destructor_arg pointer (uarg) for MSG_ZEROCOPY skbs. Neither function calls net_zcopy_get() for the new shinfo, creating an unaccounted holder: every skb_shared_info with destructor_arg set will call skb_zcopy_clear() once when freed, but the corresponding net_zcopy_get() was never called for the new copy. Repeated calls drive uarg->refcnt to zero prematurely, freeing ubuf_info_msgzc while TX skbs still hold live destructor_arg pointers. KASAN reports use-after-free on a freed ubuf_info_msgzc: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in skb_release_data+0x77b/0x810 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88801574d3e8 by task poc/220 Call Trace: skb_release_data+0x77b/0x810 kfree_skb_list_reason+0x13e/0x610 skb_release_data+0x4cd/0x810 sk_skb_reason_drop+0xf3/0x340 skb_queue_purge_reason+0x282/0x440 rds_tcp_inc_free+0x1e/0x30 rds_recvmsg+0x354/0x1780 __sys_recvmsg+0xdf/0x180 Allocated by task 219: msg_zerocopy_realloc+0x157/0x7b0 tcp_sendmsg_locked+0x2892/0x3ba0 Freed by task 219: ip_recv_error+0x74a/0xb10 tcp_recvmsg+0x475/0x530 The skb consuming the late access still referenced the same uarg via shinfo->destructor_arg copied by pskb_carve_inside_nonlinear() without a refcount bump. This has been verified to be reliably exploitable: a working proof-of-concept achieves full root privilege escalation from an unprivileged local user on a default kernel configuration. The fix follows the pattern of pskb_expand_head() which has the same memcpy/cloned structure. For pskb_carve_inside_header(), net_zcopy_get() is placed after skb_orphan_frags() succeeds, so the orphan error path needs no cleanup. For pskb_carve_inside_nonlinear(), net_zcopy_get() is placed after all failure points and just before skb_release_data(), so no error path needs cleanup at all -- matching pskb_expand_head() more closely and avoiding the need for a balancing net_zcopy_put().

Metrics

Severity
high
PoC (publicly reported)
7.8
Source: nvd-v3
14.8 %
Elevated — this CVE ranks above at least 10% of all CVEs scored today.
0.2 %
Low — model estimates < 1% exploitation likelihood.
Published
2026-09-07 09:05 UTC

Reanalysis & status changes

Chronological NVD audit events for this CVE — reanalyses, CVSS updates, CPE diffs.

  1. CVE Modified2026-09-08 09:18 UTC· 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
    • Reference: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e0e74c59b2761a414d9f48d7bee1e45220b2427
    • Reference: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/474d6c771d798bca84f0a140b611e36743511e18
    • Reference: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8dbed691e43a50903658130bde0fcb5abc425b37
    • Reference: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/96a4713ae041cc85e712bac682cd2e644004d6c6
  2. CVE Modified2026-09-08 09:18 UTC· 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c
    • Reference: https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-52943
    • Reference: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2492137
    • Reference: https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-52943.json
    • Reference: https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-52943
  3. CVE Modified2026-09-08 09:18 UTC· 0b142b55-0307-4c5a-b3c9-f314f3fb7c5e
    • Affected: New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/52xxx/CVE-2026-52943.json">CVE-2026-52943</a>
    • Reference: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-019113.html
  4. New CVE Received2026-06-24 10:17 UTC· 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
    • Affected: Linux, Linux
    • Description: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: skbuff: fix missing zerocopy reference in pskb_carve helpers pskb_carve_inside_header() and pskb_carve_inside_nonlinear() both copy the old skb_shared_info header into a new buffer via memcpy(), which includes the destructor_arg pointer (uarg) for MSG_ZEROCOPY skbs. Neither function calls net_zcopy_get() for the new shinfo, creating an unaccounted holder: every skb_shared_info with destructor_arg set will call skb_zcopy_clear() once when freed, but the corresponding net_zcopy_get() was never called for the new copy. Repeated calls drive uarg->refcnt to zero prematurely, freeing ubuf_info_msgzc while TX skbs still hold live destructor_arg pointers. KASAN reports use-after-free on a freed ubuf_info_msgzc: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in skb_release_data+0x77b/0x810 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88801574d3e8 by task poc/220 Call Trace: skb_release_data+0x77b/0x810 kfree_skb_list_reason+0x13e/0x610 skb_release_data+0x4cd/0x810 sk_skb_reason_drop+0xf3/0x340 skb_queue_purge_reason+0x282/0x440 rds_tcp_inc_free+0x1e/0x30 rds_recvmsg+0x354/0x1780 __sys_recvmsg+0xdf/0x180 Allocated by task 219: msg_zerocopy_realloc+0x157/0x7b0 tcp_sendmsg_locked+0x2892/0x3ba0 Freed by task 219: ip_recv_error+0x74a/0xb10 tcp_recvmsg+0x475/0x530 The skb consuming the late access still referenced the same uarg via shinfo->destructor_arg copied by pskb_carve_inside_nonlinear() without a refcount bump. This has been verified to be reliably exploitable: a working proof-of-concept achieves full root privilege escalation from an unprivileged local user on a default kernel configuration. The fix follows the pattern of pskb_expand_head() which has the same memcpy/cloned structure. For pskb_carve_inside_header(), net_zcopy_get() is placed after skb_orphan_frags() succeeds, so the orphan error path needs no cleanup. For pskb_carve_inside_nonlinear(), net_zcopy_get() is placed after all failure points and just before skb_release_data(), so no error path needs cleanup at all -- matching pskb_expand_head() more closely and avoiding the need for a balancing net_zcopy_put().
    • Reference: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e0e74c59b2761a414d9f48d7bee1e45220b2427
    • Reference: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/474d6c771d798bca84f0a140b611e36743511e18

Affected operating systems

  • linux

    redhat / enterprise_linux10.0

  • linux

    redhat / enterprise_linux7.0

  • linux

    redhat / enterprise_linux8.0

  • linux

    redhat / enterprise_linux9.0

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-aws-6.8jammy

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-azureresolute

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-azuretrusty

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-azurexenial

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-azure-4.15bionic

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-azure-5.4bionic

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-azure-fdenoble

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-azure-fderesolute

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-azure-fde-6.8jammy

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-azure-fipsbionic

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-azure-fipsfocal

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-azure-fipsnoble

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-fipsjammy

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-gcp-7.0noble

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-gkejammy

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-nvidia-tegranoble

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-raspinoble

  • linux

    ubuntu / linux-raspi-realtimenoble

  • linux

    linux / linux_kernel2.6.12

  • linux

    linux / linux_kernel2.6.15

References & sources

Linked CVEs

Show 1392 more CVEs
IDCVE-2026-52943
Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities — CVE-2026-52943 | NEOSEC Intel