# CVE-2026-43281: mailbox: Prevent out-of-bounds access in fw_mbox_index_xlate()

> A missing bounds check in the Linux kernel mailbox subsystem allows out-of-bounds memory access, potentially causing crashes or information leaks.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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:** 1 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-43281, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-43281, GHSA-78gq-46gf-2hpp, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-43281, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-43281, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-43281, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43281

## What is CVE-2026-43281?

CVE-2026-43281 is a high-severity memory corruption 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:

mailbox: Prevent out-of-bounds access in fw_mbox_index_xlate()

Although it is guided that `#mbox-cells` must be at least 1, there are
many instances of `#mbox-cells = <0>;` in the device tree. If that is
the case and the corresponding mailbox controller does not provide
`fw_xlate` and of_xlate` function pointers, `fw_mbox_index_xlate()` will
be used by default and out-of-bounds accesses could occur due to lack of
bounds check in that function.

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-43281?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-43281?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-43281 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-43281 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-2026-43281 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-43281 is a high-severity memory corruption 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-2026-43281 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-2026-43281/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43281/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-43281
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43281
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-43281

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43281/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.