Kernel resource exhaustion via unfreed KVM devices
Published Jan 31, 2026 · Updated Jan 31, 2026
Resource exhaustion in Linux Kernel 6.13 through 6.18.6 allows local users to interrupt service via LoongArch KVM device creation. kvm_ioctl_create_device() allocates a kvm_device, but kvm_ipi_destroy() frees only the LoongArch IPI object and omits the corresponding device-structure release. Local low-privileged access to a LoongArch KVM host is required; repeated device lifecycles consume kernel memory and degrade host availability.
Summary
What happened
Resource exhaustion in Linux Kernel 6.13 through 6.18.6 allows local users to interrupt service via LoongArch KVM device creation. kvm_ioctl_create_device() allocates a kvm_device, but kvm_ipi_destroy() frees only the LoongArch IPI object and omits the corresponding device-structure release. Local low-privileged access to a LoongArch KVM host is required; repeated device lifecycles consume kernel memory and degrade host availability.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-23028
- Published
- Jan 31, 2026
- Updated
- Jan 31, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- T1499.001
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 31, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jan 31, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <0bf58cb7288a4d3de6d8ecbb3a65928a9362bf21
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5defcc2f9c22e6e09b5be68234ad10f4ba0292b7
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Your stack
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Your stack
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