Linux Kernel: Preserve SKBFL_SHARED_FRAG marker during skb coalescing
CVE-2026-43503 Published on May 23, 2026

net: skbuff: propagate shared-frag marker through frag-transfer helpers
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: skbuff: propagate shared-frag marker through frag-transfer helpers Two frag-transfer helpers (__pskb_copy_fclone() and skb_shift()) fail to propagate the SKBFL_SHARED_FRAG bit in skb_shinfo()->flags when moving frags from source to destination. __pskb_copy_fclone() defers the rest of the shinfo metadata to skb_copy_header() after copying frag descriptors, but that helper only carries over gso_{size,segs, type} and never touches skb_shinfo()->flags; skb_shift() moves frag descriptors directly and leaves flags untouched. As a result, the destination skb keeps a reference to the same externally-owned or page-cache-backed pages while reporting skb_has_shared_frag() as false. The mismatch is harmful in any in-place writer that uses skb_has_shared_frag() to decide whether shared pages must be detoured through skb_cow_data(). ESP input is one such writer (esp4.c, esp6.c), and a single nft 'dup to <local>' rule -- or any other nf_dup_ipv4() / xt_TEE caller -- is enough to land a pskb_copy()'d skb in esp_input() with the marker stripped, letting an unprivileged user write into the page cache of a root-owned read-only file via authencesn-ESN stray writes. Set SKBFL_SHARED_FRAG on the destination whenever frag descriptors were actually moved from the source. skb_copy() and skb_copy_expand() share skb_copy_header() too but linearize all paged data into freshly allocated head storage and emerge with nr_frags == 0, so skb_has_shared_frag() returns false on its own; they need no change. The same omission exists in skb_gro_receive() and skb_gro_receive_list(). The former moves the incoming skb's frag descriptors into the accumulator's last sub-skb via two paths (a direct frag-move loop and the head_frag + memcpy path); the latter chains the incoming skb whole onto p's frag_list. Downstream skb_segment() reads only skb_shinfo(p)->flags, and skb_segment_list() reuses each sub-skb's shinfo as the nskb -- both p and lp must carry the marker. The same omission also exists in tcp_clone_payload(), which builds an MTU probe skb by moving frag descriptors from skbs on sk_write_queue into a freshly allocated nskb. The helper falls into the same family and warrants the same fix for consistency; no TCP TX-side in-place writer is currently known to reach a user page through this gap, but a future consumer depending on the marker would regress silently. The same omission exists in skb_segment(): the per-iteration flag merge takes only head_skb's flag, and the inner switch that rebinds frag_skb to list_skb on head_skb-frags exhaustion does not fold the new frag_skb's flag into nskb. Fold frag_skb's flag at both sites so segments drawing frags from frag_list members carry the marker.

NVD

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2026-43503 can be exploited with local system access, and requires small amount of user privileges. This vulnerability is consided to have a high level of attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to be very high.

Attack Vector:
LOCAL
Attack Complexity:
HIGH
Privileges Required:
LOW
User Interaction:
NONE
Scope:
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality Impact:
HIGH
Integrity Impact:
HIGH
Availability Impact:
HIGH

Weakness Type

Improper Control of a Resource Through its Lifetime

The software does not maintain or incorrectly maintains control over a resource throughout its lifetime of creation, use, and release.


Products Associated with CVE-2026-43503

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Linux Kernel
 
Canonical Ubuntu Linux
 
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
 
Red Hat Openshift
 
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Nvidia
 
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Eus
 
Red Hat Rhel E4s
 
Red Hat Rhel Eus
 
Red Hat Rhel Aus
 
Red Hat Rhel Eus Long Life
 
Red Hat Rhel Tus
 

Affected Versions

Linux: Linux: Red Hat NVIDIA for RHEL 10: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.0 Extended Update Support: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-On: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Telecommunications Update Service: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Update Services for SAP Solutions: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Telecommunications Update Service: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Update Services for SAP Solutions: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Update Services for SAP Solutions: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Update Services for SAP Solutions: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Update Services for SAP Solutions: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Update Services for SAP Solutions: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Update Services for SAP Solutions: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Update Services for SAP Solutions: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Extended Update Support: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Update Services for SAP Solutions: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.6 Extended Update Support: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.6 Extended Update Support: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.12: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.13: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.15: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.16: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.18: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.19: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.20: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.21: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4:

Exploit Probability

EPSS
0.34%
Percentile
26.21%

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) scores estimate the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. The percentile shows you how this score compares to all other vulnerabilities.