High severity · published May 21, 2026
CVE-2026-43499
rtmutex: Use waiter::task instead of current in remove_waiter()
7.8
CVSS
0.9%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
rtmutex: Use waiter::task instead of current in remove_waiter()
remove_waiter() is used by the slowlock paths, but it is also used for
proxy-lock rollback in rt_mutex_start_proxy_lock() when invoked from
futex_requeue().
In the latter case waiter::task is not current, but remove_waiter()
operates on current for the dequeue operation. That results in several
problems:
1) the rbtree dequeue happens without waiter::task::pi_lock being held
2) the waiter task's pi_blocked_on state is not cleared, which leaves a
dangling pointer primed for UAF around.
3) rt_mutex_adjust_prio_chain() operates on the wrong top priority waiter
task
Use waiter::task instead of current in all related operations in
remove_waiter() to cure those problems.
[ tglx: Fixup rt_mutex_adjust_prio_chain(), add a comment and amend the
changelog ]
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.9% · higher than 59% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
KE
Kernel · Linux
2.6.39 before 6.1.175; 6.2 before 6.6.140; 6.7 before 6.12.86; 6.13 before 6.18.27; 6.19 before 7.0.4 · source: NVD
LI
Linux · Linux
8161239a8bcce9ad6b537c04a1fa3b5c68bae693 before f3fa3424bceb128d2be4b3745506b22844b87db7; 8161239a8bcce9ad6b537c04a1fa3b5c68bae693 before 838ce5cb5d93c3ab8b27e75bc6ad905a94b752fd; 8161239a8bcce9ad6b537c04a1fa3b5c68bae693 before d8cce4773c2b23d819baf5abedc62f7b430e8745; 8161239a8bcce9ad6b537c04a1fa3b5c68bae693 before 8a1fc8d698ac5e5916e3082a0f74450d71f9611f; 8161239a8bcce9ad6b537c04a1fa3b5c68bae693 before 6d52dfcb2a5db86e346cf51f8fcf2071b8085166; 8161239a8bcce9ad6b537c04a1fa3b5c68bae693 before 3fb7394a837740770f0d6b4b30567e60786a63f2; +3 more · source: vendor
SS
SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP · Siemens
V3.1.6; V3.1.7; V3.1.6; V3.1.7 · source: CISA
SS
SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP · Siemens
V3.1.6; V3.1.7; V3.1.6; V3.1.7 · source: CISA
SS
SIMATIC S7-1500 TM MFP - GNU/Linux subsystem · Siemens
0 · source: CISA
SS
SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP · Siemens
V3.1.6; V3.1.7 · source: CISA
In the news
VulnerabilityHigh
15-Year-Old GhostLock Flaw Enables Root and Container Escape on Most Linux Distros
Researchers at Nebula Security have disclosed GhostLock (CVE-2026-43499), a 15-year-old Linux kernel flaw that lets any logged-in user take full root control of a machine that has not been patched.
The vulnerable code has shipped by default in essentially every mainstream distribution since 2011. The flaw needs no special permission, no unusual settings, and no network
Jul 8, 2026·The Hacker News
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43499
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-43499
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3bfdc63936dd4773109b7b8c280c0f3b5ae7d349
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3fb7394a837740770f0d6b4b30567e60786a63f2
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6d52dfcb2a5db86e346cf51f8fcf2071b8085166
git.kernel.org
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/838ce5cb5d93c3ab8b27e75bc6ad905a94b752fd
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/88614876370aac8ad1050ad785a4c095ba17ac11
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a1fc8d698ac5e5916e3082a0f74450d71f9611f
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