Kernel memory exhaustion via initialization leak
Published Aug 10, 2026 · Updated Aug 10, 2026
Resource leak in the Linux ipw2100 Wi-Fi driver allows local users to exhaust kernel memory during failed PCI initialization. The ipw2100_pci_init_one() error paths return after ipw2100_alloc_device() without releasing its allocation; pci_enable_device() failure requires separate cleanup before priv exists. Triggering the leak requires an affected kernel and Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 PCI hardware to encounter one of those initialization failures, and repeated triggers consume memory until service interruption.
Summary
What happened
Resource leak in the Linux ipw2100 Wi-Fi driver allows local users to exhaust kernel memory during failed PCI initialization. The ipw2100_pci_init_one() error paths return after ipw2100_alloc_device() without releasing its allocation; pci_enable_device() failure requires separate cleanup before priv exists. Triggering the leak requires an affected kernel and Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 PCI hardware to encounter one of those initialization failures, and repeated triggers consume memory until service interruption.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-68413
- Published
- Aug 10, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 10, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 10, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 10, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=2.6.14
- Affected versionversion=2c86c275015c880e810830304a3a4ab94803b38b <0d388f62031dbabcba0f44bb91b59f10e88cac17
- Affected versionversion=2c86c275015c880e810830304a3a4ab94803b38b <7cbda50eebcd9aa00b0de382f776287cf7a36cf8
- Affected versionversion=2c86c275015c880e810830304a3a4ab94803b38b <836a19c654dcb1b01878a70090af016fbd0fd7e5
- Affected versionversion=2c86c275015c880e810830304a3a4ab94803b38b <f442e581a88937671a22ceb3806c186265ef6254
- Affected versionversion=2c86c275015c880e810830304a3a4ab94803b38b <f75b9a2a9d8334ae0f9c5e47df7b31f7aeb1fdbe
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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