CVE-2026-23258

Kernel memory leak via untracked netdev allocation

Published Mar 18, 2026 · Updated Mar 18, 2026

A memory leak in the Linux Kernel LiquidIO driver allows attackers with local low-privilege access to degrade availability through queue setup failure. In setup_nic_devices(), netdev allocation precedes assignment to the device-properties netdev field; a receive- or transmit-queue setup error therefore leaves cleanup unable to locate and free the allocation. Exploitation requires a LiquidIO device and queue-count setup failure; only compile testing and static review are reported.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.11%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A memory leak in the Linux Kernel LiquidIO driver allows attackers with local low-privilege access to degrade availability through queue setup failure. In setup_nic_devices(), netdev allocation precedes assignment to the device-properties netdev field; a receive- or transmit-queue setup error therefore leaves cleanup unable to locate and free the allocation. Exploitation requires a LiquidIO device and queue-count setup failure; only compile testing and static review are reported.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23258
Published
Mar 18, 2026
Updated
Mar 18, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 18, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 18, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=4.18
  2. Affected versionversion=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <1d4590fde856cb94bd9a46e795c29d8288c238fc
  3. Affected versionversion=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <926ede0c85e1e57c97d64d9612455267d597bb2c
  4. Affected versionversion=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <a0e57c0b68c9e6f9a8fd7c1167861a5a730eb2f4
  5. Affected versionversion=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <be109646cdaecab262f6276303b1763468c94378
  6. Affected versionversion=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <c0ed6c77ec34050971fd0df2a94dfdea66d09331
  7. Affected versionversion=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <c81a8515fb8c8fb5d0dbc21f48337494bf1d60df
  8. Affected versionversion=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <d028147ae06407cb355245db1774793600670169

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=4.18; version=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <1d4590fde856cb94bd9a46e795c29d8288c238fc; version=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <926ede0c85e1e57c97d64d9612455267d597bb2c; version=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <a0e57c0b68c9e6f9a8fd7c1167861a5a730eb2f4; version=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <be109646cdaecab262f6276303b1763468c94378; version=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <c0ed6c77ec34050971fd0df2a94dfdea66d09331; version=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <c81a8515fb8c8fb5d0dbc21f48337494bf1d60df; version=c33c997346c34ea7b89aec99524ad9632a2f1e0c <d028147ae06407cb355245db1774793600670169

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 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

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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