# CVE-2026-43181: gpio: sysfs: fix chip removal with GPIOs exported over sysfs

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel GPIO subsystem allows attackers to cause a denial of service or potentially execute code by unbinding a GPIO controller while sysfs exports are active.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 May 2026
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-43181, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-43181, GHSA-gvr9-3x96-5w99, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43181

## What is CVE-2026-43181?

CVE-2026-43181 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 6 May 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

gpio: sysfs: fix chip removal with GPIOs exported over sysfs

Currently if we export a GPIO over sysfs and unbind the parent GPIO
controller, the exported attribute will remain under /sys/class/gpio
because once we remove the parent device, we can no longer associate the
descriptor with it in gpiod_unexport() and never drop the final
reference.

Rework the teardown code: provide an unlocked variant of
gpiod_unexport() and remove all exported GPIOs with the sysfs_lock taken
before unregistering the parent device itself. This is done to prevent
any new exports happening before we unregister the device completely.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-43181?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-43181?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-43181 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-43181 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-43181 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-43181 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 6 May 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-43181 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43181/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43181/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-43181
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43181
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-43181

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43181/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.