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CVE-2026-43244

Full vulnerability record from the local CVENow database.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kcm: fix zero-frag skb in frag_list on partial sendmsg error Syzkaller reported a warning in kcm_write_msgs() when processing a message with a zero-fragment skb in the frag_list. When kcm_sendmsg() fills MAX_SKB_FRAGS fragments in the current skb, it allocates a new skb (tskb) and links it into the frag_list before copying data. If the copy subsequently fails (e.g. -EFAULT from user memory), tskb remains in the frag_list with zero fragments: head skb (msg being assembled, NOT yet in sk_write_queue) +-----------+ | frags[17] | (MAX_SKB_FRAGS, all filled with data) | frag_list-+--> tskb +-----------+ +----------+ | frags[0] | (empty! copy failed before filling) +----------+ For SOCK_SEQPACKET with partial data already copied, the error path saves this message via partial_message for later completion. For SOCK_SEQPACKET, sock_write_iter() automatically sets MSG_EOR, so a subsequent zero-length write(fd, NULL, 0) completes the message and queues it to sk_write_queue. kcm_write_msgs() then walks the frag_list and hits: WARN_ON(!skb_shinfo(skb)->nr_frags) TCP has a similar pattern where skbs are enqueued before data copy and cleaned up on failure via tcp_remove_empty_skb(). KCM was missing the equivalent cleanup. Fix this by tracking the predecessor skb (frag_prev) when allocating a new frag_list entry. On error, if the tail skb has zero frags, use frag_prev to unlink and free it in O(1) without walking the singly-linked frag_list. frag_prev is safe to dereference because the entire message chain is only held locally (or in kcm->seq_skb) and is not added to sk_write_queue until MSG_EOR, so the send path cannot free it underneath us. Also change the WARN_ON to WARN_ON_ONCE to avoid flooding the log if the condition is somehow hit repeatedly. There are currently no KCM selftests in the kernel tree; a simple reproducer is available at [1]. [1] https://gist.github.com/mrpre/a94d431c757e8d6f168f4dd1a3749daa

Severity
MEDIUM
CVSS score
5.5 (v3.1)
Vulnerability status
Modified
Source identifier
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Published
2026-05-06 12:16:44.873000
Last modified
2026-10-30 13:18:48.847000
View original CVE JSON
{
  "id": "CVE-2026-43244",
  "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
  "published": "2026-05-06T12:16:44.873",
  "lastModified": "2026-10-30T13:18:48.847",
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "cveTags": [],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nkcm: fix zero-frag skb in frag_list on partial sendmsg error\n\nSyzkaller reported a warning in kcm_write_msgs() when processing a\nmessage with a zero-fragment skb in the frag_list.\n\nWhen kcm_sendmsg() fills MAX_SKB_FRAGS fragments in the current skb,\nit allocates a new skb (tskb) and links it into the frag_list before\ncopying data. If the copy subsequently fails (e.g. -EFAULT from\nuser memory), tskb remains in the frag_list with zero fragments:\n\n  head skb (msg being assembled, NOT yet in sk_write_queue)\n  +-----------+\n  | frags[17] |  (MAX_SKB_FRAGS, all filled with data)\n  | frag_list-+--> tskb\n  +-----------+    +----------+\n                   | frags[0] |  (empty! copy failed before filling)\n                   +----------+\n\nFor SOCK_SEQPACKET with partial data already copied, the error path\nsaves this message via partial_message for later completion. For\nSOCK_SEQPACKET, sock_write_iter() automatically sets MSG_EOR, so a\nsubsequent zero-length write(fd, NULL, 0) completes the message and\nqueues it to sk_write_queue. kcm_write_msgs() then walks the\nfrag_list and hits:\n\n  WARN_ON(!skb_shinfo(skb)->nr_frags)\n\nTCP has a similar pattern where skbs are enqueued before data copy\nand cleaned up on failure via tcp_remove_empty_skb(). KCM was\nmissing the equivalent cleanup.\n\nFix this by tracking the predecessor skb (frag_prev) when allocating\na new frag_list entry. On error, if the tail skb has zero frags,\nuse frag_prev to unlink and free it in O(1) without walking the\nsingly-linked frag_list. frag_prev is safe to dereference because\nthe entire message chain is only held locally (or in kcm->seq_skb)\nand is not added to sk_write_queue until MSG_EOR, so the send path\ncannot free it underneath us.\n\nAlso change the WARN_ON to WARN_ON_ONCE to avoid flooding the log\nif the condition is somehow hit repeatedly.\n\nThere are currently no KCM selftests in the kernel tree; a simple\nreproducer is available at [1].\n\n[1] https://gist.github.com/mrpre/a94d431c757e8d6f168f4dd1a3749daa"
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      "affectedData": [
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          "product": "Linux",
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
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          "defaultStatus": "affected",
          "programFiles": [
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          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "versions": [
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              "status": "unaffected"
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              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix",
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            }
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      ]
    }
  ],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "source": "[email protected]",
        "type": "Primary",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "3.1",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
          "baseScore": 5.5,
          "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
          "attackVector": "LOCAL",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "confidentialityImpact": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "exploitabilityScore": 1.8,
        "impactScore": 3.6
      }
    ]
  },
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "source": "[email protected]",
      "type": "Primary",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-401"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "configurations": [
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}