CVE-2026-43402
kernel: kthread: consolidate kthread exit paths to prevent use-after-free
Severity
ModerateRed Hat Product Security
CVSS 3.1
Review impact separately from score.
Published · May 8, 2026
Updated · October 29, 2026
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel. A vulnerability in the kernel thread (kthread) exit process can lead to a use-after-free condition. This occurs when a kthread exits without proper cleanup, allowing other kernel operations to access and corrupt previously freed memory. This can result in system instability and crashes.
Statement
Red Hat acknowledges the upstream Linux kernel correction for «kthread» 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.
CVSS score applicability
The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.
Mitigation
No mitigation is specified in collected source.
CVSS / CWE
CVSS 3.1 · 5.5CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CWE-825 · Expired Pointer Dereference