CVE-2026-23086

Peer-triggered memory exhaustion via oversized TX credit

Published Feb 4, 2026 · Updated Feb 4, 2026

Memory exhaustion in Linux Kernel allows guest OS users to interrupt a virtio-vsock peer through inflated TX credit. virtio_transport_common.c consumes peer_buf_alloc directly when sizing queued sk_buff data instead of intersecting it with the local buf_alloc limit. A malicious guest or host must advertise a large buffer and read slowly; the resulting kernel-memory growth can exhaust the peer and require terminating QEMU for recovery.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory exhaustion in Linux Kernel allows guest OS users to interrupt a virtio-vsock peer through inflated TX credit. virtio_transport_common.c consumes peer_buf_alloc directly when sizing queued sk_buff data instead of intersecting it with the local buf_alloc limit. A malicious guest or host must advertise a large buffer and read slowly; the resulting kernel-memory growth can exhaust the peer and require terminating QEMU for recovery.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23086
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=06a8fc78367d070720af960dcecec917d3ae5f3b <84ef86aa7120449828d1e0ce438c499014839711
  2. Affected versionversion=06a8fc78367d070720af960dcecec917d3ae5f3b <8ee784fdf006cbe8739cfa093f54d326cbf54037
  3. Affected versionversion=06a8fc78367d070720af960dcecec917d3ae5f3b <c0e42fb0e054c2b2ec4ee80f48ccd256ae0227ce
  4. Affected versionversion=06a8fc78367d070720af960dcecec917d3ae5f3b <d9d5f222558b42f6277eafaaa6080966faf37676
  5. Affected versionversion=4.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=06a8fc78367d070720af960dcecec917d3ae5f3b <84ef86aa7120449828d1e0ce438c499014839711; version=06a8fc78367d070720af960dcecec917d3ae5f3b <8ee784fdf006cbe8739cfa093f54d326cbf54037; version=06a8fc78367d070720af960dcecec917d3ae5f3b <c0e42fb0e054c2b2ec4ee80f48ccd256ae0227ce; version=06a8fc78367d070720af960dcecec917d3ae5f3b <d9d5f222558b42f6277eafaaa6080966faf37676; version=4.8

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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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