Critical severity · published May 1, 2026
CVE-2026-43038
ipv6: icmp: clear skb2->cb[] in ip6_err_gen_icmpv6_unreach()
9.8
CVSS
0.3%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ipv6: icmp: clear skb2->cb[] in ip6_err_gen_icmpv6_unreach()
Sashiko AI-review observed:
In ip6_err_gen_icmpv6_unreach(), the skb is an outer IPv4 ICMP error packet
where its cb contains an IPv4 inet_skb_parm. When skb is cloned into skb2
and passed to icmp6_send(), it uses IP6CB(skb2).
IP6CB interprets the IPv4 inet_skb_parm as an inet6_skb_parm. The cipso
offset in inet_skb_parm.opt directly overlaps with dsthao in inet6_skb_parm
at offset 18.
If an attacker sends a forged ICMPv4 error with a CIPSO IP option, dsthao
would be a non-zero offset. Inside icmp6_send(), mip6_addr_swap() is called
and uses ipv6_find_tlv(skb, opt->dsthao, IPV6_TLV_HAO).
This would scan the inner, attacker-controlled IPv6 packet starting at that
offset, potentially returning a fake TLV without checking if the remaining
packet length can hold the full 18-byte struct ipv6_destopt_hao.
Could mip6_addr_swap() then perform a 16-byte swap that extends past the end
of the packet data into skb_shared_info?
Should the cb array also be cleared in ip6_err_gen_icmpv6_unreach() and
ip6ip6_err() to prevent this?
This patch implements the first suggestion.
I am not sure if ip6ip6_err() needs to be changed.
A separate patch would be better anyway.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.3% · higher than 17% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
KE
Kernel · Linux
after 3.13 before 5.10.253; 5.11 before 5.15.203; 5.16 before 6.1.168; 6.2 before 6.6.134; 6.7 before 6.12.81; 6.13 before 6.18.22; +14 more · source: NVD
LI
Linux · Linux
ca15a078bd907df5fc1c009477869c5cbde3b753 before c438ba010171b70bad22fc18b1d5bdc3627476e8; ca15a078bd907df5fc1c009477869c5cbde3b753 before 0452b6526b2f54b2413b9cb4ff1ea2ac542c99c7; ca15a078bd907df5fc1c009477869c5cbde3b753 before a4437faf135da293d16fcc4cc607316742bd0ebb; ca15a078bd907df5fc1c009477869c5cbde3b753 before 3d5127d998de617b130aae96b138dba22ac6a8a7; ca15a078bd907df5fc1c009477869c5cbde3b753 before e41953e7d118e2702bcb217879c173d9d1d3cd4e; ca15a078bd907df5fc1c009477869c5cbde3b753 before a2edbb6393972a02114b6003953a5cef3104fada; +3 more · source: vendor
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.0 Extended Update Support · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-On · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-On · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Telecommunications Update Service · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Update Services for SAP Solutions · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
RH
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · Red Hat
All versions, or not specified · source: CISA
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43038
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-43038
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0452b6526b2f54b2413b9cb4ff1ea2ac542c99c7
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1ceeebd5bd6d855b17a5df625109bfe29129d7cf
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3d5127d998de617b130aae96b138dba22ac6a8a7
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/86ab3e55673a7a49a841838776f1ab18d23a67b5
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a2edbb6393972a02114b6003953a5cef3104fada
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a4437faf135da293d16fcc4cc607316742bd0ebb
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