# CVE-2026-43424: usb: gadget: f_tcm: Fix NULL pointer dereferences in nexus handling

> A malicious USB host can trigger a kernel panic via NULL pointer dereference in the USB gadget target driver, causing local denial of service.

- **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:** 8 May 2026
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-43424, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-43424, GHSA-rx37-q58j-c4c7, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-43424, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-43424, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-43424, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-43424

## What is CVE-2026-43424?

CVE-2026-43424 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 8 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:

usb: gadget: f_tcm: Fix NULL pointer dereferences in nexus handling

The `tpg->tpg_nexus` pointer in the USB Target driver is dynamically
managed and tied to userspace configuration via ConfigFS. It can be
NULL if the USB host sends requests before the nexus is fully
established or immediately after it is dropped.

Currently, functions like `bot_submit_command()` and the data
transfer paths retrieve `tv_nexus = tpg->tpg_nexus` and immediately
dereference `tv_nexus->tvn_se_sess` without any validation. If a
malicious or misconfigured USB host sends a BOT (Bulk-Only Transport)
command during this race window, it triggers a NULL pointer
dereference, leading to a kernel panic (local DoS).

This exposes an inconsistent API usage within the module, as peer
functions like `usbg_submit_command()` and `bot_send_bad_response()`
correctly implement a NULL check for `tv_nexus` before proceeding.

Fix this by bringing consistency to the nexus handling. Add the
missing `if (!tv_nexus)` checks to the vulnerable BOT command and
request processing paths, aborting the command gracefully with an
error instead of crashing the system.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-43424?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-43424?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-43424 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-43424 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-2026-43424 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-43424 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 8 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-2026-43424 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-2026-43424/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43424/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-43424
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43424
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-43424

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43424/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.