CVE-2026-23046

Availability loss via mismatched device-managed free

Published Feb 4, 2026 · Updated Feb 4, 2026

Resource-management error in Linux Kernel 6.15 through 6.18.5 allows local users to disrupt availability during vDPA setup. virtnet_set_queues frees rss_hdr through net_device->device even though allocation associated it with virtio_device->device, causing devres to reject the mismatched release. The path requires local access and vDPA device creation; observed behavior includes a devres warning and kernel taint.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource-management error in Linux Kernel 6.15 through 6.18.5 allows local users to disrupt availability during vDPA setup. virtnet_set_queues frees rss_hdr through net_device->device even though allocation associated it with virtio_device->device, causing devres to reject the mismatched release. The path requires local access and vDPA device creation; observed behavior includes a devres warning and kernel taint.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23046
Published
Feb 4, 2026
Updated
Feb 4, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 4, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 4, 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=4944be2f5ad8c74b93e4e272f3a0f1a136bbc438 <a5e2d902f64c76169c771f584559c82b588090e3
  2. Affected versionversion=4944be2f5ad8c74b93e4e272f3a0f1a136bbc438 <acb4bc6e1ba34ae1a34a9334a1ce8474c909466e
  3. Affected versionversion=6.15

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=4944be2f5ad8c74b93e4e272f3a0f1a136bbc438 <a5e2d902f64c76169c771f584559c82b588090e3; version=4944be2f5ad8c74b93e4e272f3a0f1a136bbc438 <acb4bc6e1ba34ae1a34a9334a1ce8474c909466e; version=6.15

Published CVSS scores

5.5SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.8SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 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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