CVE-2026-43244

kcm: fix zero-frag skb in frag_list on partial sendmsg error

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: May 6, 2026 at 11:28 AM UTC
Updated: October 30, 2026 at 01:18 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%

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

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

4.6 ≤ v < 6.12.756.13 ≤ v < 6.18.166.19 ≤ v < 6.19.64.67.07.0 rc1ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3
Vendor states this is fixed in 7af58f76e4b404a74c836881a845e6652db8a09f (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 9ea3671d70ee07480d80bebe86696397c4e99fb7 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in b1e3edf688a88c1a3ac41657055d9c136a08cd25 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in ca220141fa8ebae09765a242076b2b77338106b0 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.6 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.12.75 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.18.16 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.19.6 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6.160 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.0 (unaffected)

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-401

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