CVE-2026-43336
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: lib/crypto: chacha: Zeroize permuted_state before it leaves scope Since the ChaCha permutation is invertible, the local variable 'permuted_state' is sufficient to compute the original…
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (0.43%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: lib/crypto: chacha: Zeroize permuted_state before it leaves scope Since the ChaCha permutation is invertible, the local variable 'permuted_state' is sufficient to compute the original 'state', and thus the key, even after the permutation has been done. While the kernel is quite inconsistent about zeroizing secrets on the stack (and some prominent userspace crypto libraries don't bother at all since it's not guaranteed to work anyway), the kernel does try to do it as a best practice, especially in cases involving the RNG. Thus, explicitly zeroize 'permuted_state' before it goes out of scope.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
- EPSS
- 0.43% probability · 37th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Affected
- linux/linux kernel
- Source
- 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
EPSS 0.4% since 26 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/066c760acead1fb743bae294dbd89f479ae43b9bPatch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1933249263c3a98df79992f61a566476e4163bccPatch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1d761e5a7340c46479fb2399598f331e4fe2c633Patch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/91999af43ca2125e3b2c18fcfc02912ada02efc3Patch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b416a4245f04a450c67a13e6d96056c37c5b33fePatch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bd62d9b44464a6c20a34a74068e7a784d0afa04aPatch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e5046823f8fa3677341b541a25af2fcb99a5b1e0Patch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e90ee961af515a484f091678ce58a4c3f7b73b02Patch
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.