CVE-2026-43416
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel. A local user can cause a denial of service (DoS) by triggering a NULL pointer dereference within the perf subsystem. This occurs when the memory management structure (current->mm) is prematurely released before the system attempts to retrieve the user callchain, leading to a kernel panic. This vulnerability can be exploited by running a profiling BPF (Berkeley Packet Filter) program.
Statement
Red Hat acknowledges the upstream Linux kernel correction for «powerpc, perf» as described in COMMENT_ZERO. Fixes are delivered through standard kernel errata for supported products. Operational exposure depends on whether this subsystem or driver is active in your configuration.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 5.5 | 5.5 | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Local | Local | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | Low | Low | N/A |
| Privileges Required | Low | Low | N/A |
| User Interaction | None | None | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | Unchanged | N/A |
| Confidentiality | None | None | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | None | None | N/A |
| Availability Impact | High | High | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
NVD: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Read Application Data; Read Memory
If the released resource is subsequently reused or reallocated, then a read operation on the original resource might access sensitive data that is associated with a different user or entity.
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
When the resource is released, the software might modify some of its structure, or close associated channels (such as a file descriptor). When the software later accesses the resource as if it is valid, the resource might not be in an expected state, leading to resultant errors that may lead to a crash.
Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Modify Application Data; Modify Memory
When the resource is released, the software might modify some of its structure. This might affect logic in the sections of code that still assume the resource is active. If the released resource is related to memory and is used in a function call, or points to unexpected data in a write operation, then code execution may be possible upon subsequent accesses.
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