CVE-2026-23038

Service interruption via flexfiles allocation-error memory leak

Published Jan 31, 2026 · Updated Jan 31, 2026

Memory leak in the Linux Kernel pNFS flexfiles client allows local users to exhaust kernel memory during device discovery. In nfs4_ff_alloc_deviceid_node(), a failed ds_versions allocation takes the out_scratch path without freeing the previously allocated dsaddrs list. Reachability requires low-privileged local access and use of the pNFS flexfiles client; memory exhaustion can interrupt service, while the precise failure mode is not published.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in the Linux Kernel pNFS flexfiles client allows local users to exhaust kernel memory during device discovery. In nfs4_ff_alloc_deviceid_node(), a failed ds_versions allocation takes the out_scratch path without freeing the previously allocated dsaddrs list. Reachability requires low-privileged local access and use of the pNFS flexfiles client; memory exhaustion can interrupt service, while the precise failure mode is not published.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23038
Published
Jan 31, 2026
Updated
Jan 31, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 31, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.0
  2. Affected versionversion=d67ae825a59d639e4d8b82413af84d854617a87e <0c728083654f0066f5e10a1d2b0bd0907af19a58
  3. Affected versionversion=d67ae825a59d639e4d8b82413af84d854617a87e <869862056e100973e76ce9f5f1b01837771b7722
  4. Affected versionversion=d67ae825a59d639e4d8b82413af84d854617a87e <86da7efd12295a7e2b4abde5e5984c821edd938f
  5. Affected versionversion=d67ae825a59d639e4d8b82413af84d854617a87e <ed5d3f2f6885eb99f729e6ffd946e3aa058bd3eb

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=4.0; version=d67ae825a59d639e4d8b82413af84d854617a87e <0c728083654f0066f5e10a1d2b0bd0907af19a58; version=d67ae825a59d639e4d8b82413af84d854617a87e <869862056e100973e76ce9f5f1b01837771b7722; version=d67ae825a59d639e4d8b82413af84d854617a87e <86da7efd12295a7e2b4abde5e5984c821edd938f; version=d67ae825a59d639e4d8b82413af84d854617a87e <ed5d3f2f6885eb99f729e6ffd946e3aa058bd3eb

Published CVSS scores

5.5OracleCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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