Vulnerability · Published May 8, 2026 · Assigned by Linux
CVE-2026-43438sched_ext: Remove redundant css_put() in scx_cgroup_init()
High 7.8
In plain English
A high-severity security flaw in Linux from Linux. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.1% (higher than 2% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched_ext: Remove redundant css_put() in scx_cgroup_init() The iterator css_for_each_descendant_pre() walks the cgroup hierarchy under cgroup_lock(). It does not increment the reference counts on yielded css structs. According to the cgroup documentation, css_put() should only be used to release a reference obtained via css_get() or css_tryget_online(). Since the iterator does not use either of these to acquire a reference, calling css_put() in the error path of scx_cgroup_init() causes a refcount underflow. Remove the unbalanced css_put() to prevent a potential Use-After-Free (UAF) vulnerability.
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:13 | linux | 6.12.85-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Debian:14 | linux | 6.19.10-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:25.10 | linux | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-allwinner-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:25.10 | linux-aws | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:25.10 | linux-azure | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:25.10 | linux-azure-fde | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-nvidia-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:25.10 | linux-gcp | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iot-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-5.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.1 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.8 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:25.10 | linux-oracle | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:25.10 | linux-raspi | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:25.10 | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:25.10 | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.14 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43438 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 8195136669661fdfe54e9a8923c33b31c92fc1da – before cc095cd305fddbe25a968e4a78436ff9476cf0f68195136669661fdfe54e9a8923c33b31c92fc1da – before 6eaaa67d6998f6c30c462b140db8c062e07ec4738195136669661fdfe54e9a8923c33b31c92fc1da – before bf50f3285eda8a0173625fcdb5f183f96e1008cd8195136669661fdfe54e9a8923c33b31c92fc1da – before 1336b579f6079fb8520be03624fcd9ba443c930b |
| Linux | Linux | 6.12 |