# CVE-2026-43499 — Linux

> As of 2026-09-08, CVE-2026-43499 is a HIGH-severity vulnerability in Linux, CVSS v3.1 7.8, EPSS 0.7% (54.9th percentile). Threadlinqs Intelligence links 2 tracked threat campaigns to CVE-2026-43499, most recently “Amazon Fire TV Cube 3 Exploit Enables Root Access and Bootloader Unlock (CVE-2026-43499 Ghostlock)”.

**Last updated:** 2026-09-08

## What is CVE-2026-43499?

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: rtmutex: Use waiter::task instead of current in remove_waiter() remove_waiter() is used by the slowlock paths, but it is also used for proxy-lock rollback in rt_mutex_start_proxy_lock() when invoked from futex_requeue(). In the latter case waiter::task is not current, but remove_waiter() operates on current for the dequeue operation. That results in several problems: 1) the rbtree dequeue happens without waiter::task::pi_lock being held 2) the waiter task's pi_blocked_on state is not cleared, which leaves a dangling pointer primed for UAF around. 3) rt_mutex_adjust_prio_chain() operates on the wrong top priority waiter task Use waiter::task instead of current in all related operations in remove_waiter() to cure those problems. [ tglx: Fixup rt_mutex_adjust_prio_chain(), add a comment and amend the changelog ]

The record classifies CVE-2026-43499 under weakness class [CWE-416](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/cwe/CWE-416). Its CVSS v3 base vector states that the flaw requires local access to the host, needs low-privilege credentials, needs no user interaction, and has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability. 1 affected-product entry is recorded, across 1 vendor, listed below. The identifier was first published 148 days ago.

## Severity and exploitation probability

- **CVSS v3.1 base score:** 7.8 — HIGH (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **EPSS (FIRST):** 0.7% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 54.9% of all scored CVEs
- **CISA KEV:** Not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
- **Threadlinqs priority:** 8.1/10 — a Threadlinqs composite of the CVSS base score, the EPSS percentile and public exploit availability
- **Published:** 2026-05-21, last modified 2026-09-08

## Is CVE-2026-43499 being exploited?

Weaponised exploit code for CVE-2026-43499 is publicly available. 11 public proof-of-concept repositories are tracked for this identifier. It currently carries a trending score of 32 in the Threadlinqs vulnerability feed.

- [YuKongA/ghostlock-app](https://github.com/YuKongA/ghostlock-app) (github)
- [BuSung-dev/Root-My-Galaxy](https://github.com/BuSung-dev/Root-My-Galaxy) (github)
- [alex193a/Root-My-Pixel](https://github.com/alex193a/Root-My-Pixel) (github)
- [JoinChang/ghostlock-oneplus](https://github.com/JoinChang/ghostlock-oneplus) (github)
- [x-spy/CVE-2026-43499-popsicle](https://github.com/x-spy/CVE-2026-43499-popsicle) (github)
- [hmascs/KSuRoot](https://github.com/hmascs/KSuRoot) (github)
- [MobiusM/CVE-2026-43499](https://github.com/MobiusM/CVE-2026-43499) (github)
- [Linuxoid-cn/CVE-2026-43499-Poc-Analysis](https://github.com/Linuxoid-cn/CVE-2026-43499-Poc-Analysis) (github)

## Affected products and versions

- [Linux](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/vendors/linux): Linux

## How to fix CVE-2026-43499

No vendor patch reference has been recorded for CVE-2026-43499 in the tracked sources. Follow the references below for a fix, and treat the products listed above as exposed until the vendor states otherwise.

## Threat activity tracking CVE-2026-43499

2 tracked threats in the Threadlinqs corpus reference CVE-2026-43499, either in the campaign’s CVE list or as an indicator on the campaign record.

- [Amazon Fire TV Cube 3 Exploit Enables Root Access and Bootloader Unlock (CVE-2026-43499 Ghostlock)](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/threat/TL-2026-3393) — MEDIUM · 2026-10-13
- [IonStack: One-Click Firefox JIT-to-Linux-Kernel Root Exploit Chain (CVE-2026-10702 + CVE-2026-43499 "GhostLock") Demonstrated Against Android 17](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/threat/TL-2026-1477) — HIGH · 2026-07-18

## Sources

Enriched from CVE.org, FIRST EPSS, GitHub Security Advisories, public proof-of-concept repositories. Last verified by Threadlinqs on 2026-10-10.

**Other references**

- [git.kernel.org](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f3fa3424bceb128d2be4b3745506b22844b87db7)
- [git.kernel.org (838ce5cb5d93c3ab8b27e75bc6ad905a94b752fd)](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/838ce5cb5d93c3ab8b27e75bc6ad905a94b752fd)
- [git.kernel.org (d8cce4773c2b23d819baf5abedc62f7b430e8745)](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d8cce4773c2b23d819baf5abedc62f7b430e8745)
- [git.kernel.org (8a1fc8d698ac5e5916e3082a0f74450d71f9611f)](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a1fc8d698ac5e5916e3082a0f74450d71f9611f)
- [git.kernel.org (6d52dfcb2a5db86e346cf51f8fcf2071b8085166)](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6d52dfcb2a5db86e346cf51f8fcf2071b8085166)

_Showing 5 of 8 recorded references._

Canonical: https://intel.threadlinqs.com/cve/CVE-2026-43499
Full detection coverage and IOCs for threats exploiting CVE-2026-43499 via the Threadlinqs MCP server (Purple tier): https://intel.threadlinqs.com/mcp