# CVE-2026-57973: Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) Kernel Tampering Vulnerability

> An authorized local attacker can exploit a race condition in WSL2 to tamper with system data.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N/E:U/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **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:** No
- **Published:** 14 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 28 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-32j5-g8f9-jjh7

## What is CVE-2026-57973?

CVE-2026-57973 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2), published on 14 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Time-of-check time-of-use (toctou) race condition in Windows Subsystem for Linux allows an authorized attacker to perform tampering locally.

Weakness: CWE-367 (Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-57973?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-57973?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-57973 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-57973 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-57973 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2026-57973 is a time-of-check to time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) that allows an authorized local attacker to perform tampering. (github_poc): https://github.com/riddhimaan-sth404/CVE-2026-57973

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2)

- [CVE-2021-43907](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-43907/): Visual Studio Code WSL Extension Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-62220](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-62220/): Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-57968](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57968/): Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2026-85879](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-85879/): Windows Subsystem for Linux Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (high 7.0)
- [CVE-2025-53788](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-53788/): Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (high 7.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-57973 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-57973 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2), published on 14 Jul 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-2026-57973 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2). 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-2026-57973/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57973/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-57973
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-57973
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-57973

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57973/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.