CVE-2026-45888

Kernel resource leak via failed RAID1 setup

Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026

Resource leak in the Linux Kernel RAID1 subsystem allows local users with CAP_SYS_ADMIN to consume kernel memory during array setup. In raid1_run(), setup_conf() registers an md_thread, but the raid1_set_limits() failure path returns without unregistering the thread or releasing its resources. The md ioctl path requires CAP_SYS_ADMIN in the initial user namespace, and published material does not establish a repeatable exhaustion or service-interruption path.

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

What happened

Resource leak in the Linux Kernel RAID1 subsystem allows local users with CAP_SYS_ADMIN to consume kernel memory during array setup. In raid1_run(), setup_conf() registers an md_thread, but the raid1_set_limits() failure path returns without unregistering the thread or releasing its resources. The md ioctl path requires CAP_SYS_ADMIN in the initial user namespace, and published material does not establish a repeatable exhaustion or service-interruption path.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-45888
Published
May 27, 2026
Updated
May 27, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 27, 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=6.9
  2. Affected versionversion=97894f7d3c2966164516a8a5109674763d3a55e1 <6abc7d5dcf0ee0f85e16e41c87fbd06231f28753
  3. Affected versionversion=97894f7d3c2966164516a8a5109674763d3a55e1 <b37588b0282a2b3cdda9db1d53712745ce66dea0
  4. Affected versionversion=97894f7d3c2966164516a8a5109674763d3a55e1 <c94fd6e8a71efd047ff36930e840f3c25679e136
  5. Affected versionversion=97894f7d3c2966164516a8a5109674763d3a55e1 <ec10e3dc93994b87adf7c759a4639fe34013989a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.9; version=97894f7d3c2966164516a8a5109674763d3a55e1 <6abc7d5dcf0ee0f85e16e41c87fbd06231f28753; version=97894f7d3c2966164516a8a5109674763d3a55e1 <b37588b0282a2b3cdda9db1d53712745ce66dea0; version=97894f7d3c2966164516a8a5109674763d3a55e1 <c94fd6e8a71efd047ff36930e840f3c25679e136; version=97894f7d3c2966164516a8a5109674763d3a55e1 <ec10e3dc93994b87adf7c759a4639fe34013989a

Published CVSS scores

3.3SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.8SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
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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