CVE-2026-23137

Service interruption via device-tree unittest memory leak

Published Feb 14, 2026 · Updated Feb 14, 2026

Memory leak in Linux Kernel 3.18 through 6.18.5 and 6.19-rc1 through 6.19-rc4 allows local users to interrupt service during device-tree tests. In drivers/of/unittest.c, unittest_data_add() allocates unittest_data but returns without freeing it when of_resolve_phandles() fails. Reachability requires CONFIG_OF_UNITTEST; the retained allocation consumes kernel memory and affects availability without disclosed confidentiality or integrity impact.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
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 Linux Kernel 3.18 through 6.18.5 and 6.19-rc1 through 6.19-rc4 allows local users to interrupt service during device-tree tests. In drivers/of/unittest.c, unittest_data_add() allocates unittest_data but returns without freeing it when of_resolve_phandles() fails. Reachability requires CONFIG_OF_UNITTEST; the retained allocation consumes kernel memory and affects availability without disclosed confidentiality or integrity impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23137
Published
Feb 14, 2026
Updated
Feb 14, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 14, 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=2eb46da2a760e5764c48b752a5ef320e02b96b21 <235a1eb8d2dcc49a6cf0a5ee1aa85544a5d0054b
  2. Affected versionversion=2eb46da2a760e5764c48b752a5ef320e02b96b21 <f09b0f705bd7197863b90256ef533a6414d1db2c
  3. Affected versionversion=3.18

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=2eb46da2a760e5764c48b752a5ef320e02b96b21 <235a1eb8d2dcc49a6cf0a5ee1aa85544a5d0054b; version=2eb46da2a760e5764c48b752a5ef320e02b96b21 <f09b0f705bd7197863b90256ef533a6414d1db2c; version=3.18

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

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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