CVE-2026-53079

Local service interruption via deferred-drop memory leak

Published Jun 24, 2026 · Updated Jun 24, 2026

Memory leak in Linux Kernel 6.19 allows local users to interrupt service by triggering deferred network-scheduler packet drops. During qdisc_run_end(), qdisc_dequeue_drop() checks the child qdisc rather than the root qdisc for TCQ_F_DEQUEUE_DROPS, so skbs remain stranded on the child's to_free list instead of being freed. A low-privileged local account and a root qdisc without the flag are required; repeated deferred drops consume kernel memory until service is interrupted.

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

Memory leak in Linux Kernel 6.19 allows local users to interrupt service by triggering deferred network-scheduler packet drops. During qdisc_run_end(), qdisc_dequeue_drop() checks the child qdisc rather than the root qdisc for TCQ_F_DEQUEUE_DROPS, so skbs remain stranded on the child's to_free list instead of being freed. A low-privileged local account and a root qdisc without the flag are required; repeated deferred drops consume kernel memory until service is interrupted.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-53079
Published
Jun 24, 2026
Updated
Jun 24, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 24, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 24, 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=6.19
  2. Affected versionversion=a6efc273ab8245722eee2150fa12cf75781dc410 <a6bd339dbb3514bce690fdcf252e788dfab4ee76
  3. Affected versionversion=a6efc273ab8245722eee2150fa12cf75781dc410 <bf26ad92ffda7884825d67b46bd5efe615c3babf

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=6.19; version=a6efc273ab8245722eee2150fa12cf75781dc410 <a6bd339dbb3514bce690fdcf252e788dfab4ee76; version=a6efc273ab8245722eee2150fa12cf75781dc410 <bf26ad92ffda7884825d67b46bd5efe615c3babf

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.

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
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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