CVE-2026-23260

Kernel memory exhaustion via failed maple-tree cleanup

Published Mar 18, 2026 · Updated Mar 18, 2026

Memory leak in the regmap maple cache in Linux Kernel allows local users to interrupt service by exhausting kernel memory. When regcache_maple_write() merges adjacent ranges, a mas_store_gfp() failure leaves the newly allocated entry unreachable instead of freeing it. Low-privilege local access is required; repeated failures consume kernel memory without granting data access or modification.

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

Memory leak in the regmap maple cache in Linux Kernel allows local users to interrupt service by exhausting kernel memory. When regcache_maple_write() merges adjacent ranges, a mas_store_gfp() failure leaves the newly allocated entry unreachable instead of freeing it. Low-privilege local access is required; repeated failures consume kernel memory without granting data access or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23260
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

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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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <811b45e2d795d955bb7fd9c816b40036f4fde350
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d61171cf097156030142643942c217759a9cc806
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f08f2d2907675926ac5657b25f86d921f269602a
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f3f380ce6b3d5c9805c7e0b3d5bc28d9ec41e2e8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <811b45e2d795d955bb7fd9c816b40036f4fde350; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d61171cf097156030142643942c217759a9cc806; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f08f2d2907675926ac5657b25f86d921f269602a; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f3f380ce6b3d5c9805c7e0b3d5bc28d9ec41e2e8

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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