CVE-2026-23263

Kernel memory exhaustion via page-array leak

Published Mar 18, 2026 · Updated Mar 18, 2026

Resource leakage in Linux Kernel io_uring zero-copy receive allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through repeated setup failures. On a scatter-gather initialization failure, io_import_umem unpins the registered pages but fails to free the allocated page-pointer array. Repeatedly reaching this error path can deplete kernel memory and interrupt service; no confidentiality or integrity impact is reported.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.10%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource leakage in Linux Kernel io_uring zero-copy receive allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through repeated setup failures. On a scatter-gather initialization failure, io_import_umem unpins the registered pages but fails to free the allocated page-pointer array. Repeatedly reaching this error path can deplete kernel memory and interrupt service; no confidentiality or integrity impact is reported.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-23263
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=6.17
  2. Affected versionversion=b84621d96ee0221e0bfbf9f477bbec7a5077c464 <0ae91d8ab70922fb74c22c20bedcb69459579b1c
  3. Affected versionversion=b84621d96ee0221e0bfbf9f477bbec7a5077c464 <64cf3016234ce8a6e4195ed1b2d9e2a1ae41b57d

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.17; version=b84621d96ee0221e0bfbf9f477bbec7a5077c464 <0ae91d8ab70922fb74c22c20bedcb69459579b1c; version=b84621d96ee0221e0bfbf9f477bbec7a5077c464 <64cf3016234ce8a6e4195ed1b2d9e2a1ae41b57d

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS: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.

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

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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