Memory exhaustion via incomplete TX ring cleanup
Published Aug 22, 2026 · Updated Aug 22, 2026
Memory leak in the Linux kernel atlantic driver allows local users to exhaust memory by cycling an interface under TX or XDP_TX load. aq_vec_deinit calls aq_ring_tx_clean only once, leaving descriptors beyond its 256-entry budget and posted buffers holding skb or xdp_frame references when the ring is freed. Reaching the flaw requires control of an atlantic interface under transmit load; repeated teardown leaks pages, prevents page-pool shutdown, and degrades system stability.
Summary
What happened
Memory leak in the Linux kernel atlantic driver allows local users to exhaust memory by cycling an interface under TX or XDP_TX load. aq_vec_deinit calls aq_ring_tx_clean only once, leaving descriptors beyond its 256-entry budget and posted buffers holding skb or xdp_frame references when the ring is freed. Reaching the flaw requires control of an atlantic interface under transmit load; repeated teardown leaks pages, prevents page-pool shutdown, and degrades system stability.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-74623
- Published
- Aug 22, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 22, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-401, CWE-771, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 22, 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.
- Affected versionversion=4.11
- Affected versionversion=eb36bedf28be6d986bdbcfa375bab08ffa45efd8 <307d80193b4a4a75b8dc4e0d3162be3755abbed7
- Affected versionversion=eb36bedf28be6d986bdbcfa375bab08ffa45efd8 <3447641d361dcc5511841d986ad4d849b2900d9b
- Affected versionversion=eb36bedf28be6d986bdbcfa375bab08ffa45efd8 <452636ea5410a96e02ebaaf80b21e3620b98e0dd
- Affected versionversion=eb36bedf28be6d986bdbcfa375bab08ffa45efd8 <7a3e1481f4ee6c581bccc6bfc6c970aac5be7b0c
- Affected versionversion=eb36bedf28be6d986bdbcfa375bab08ffa45efd8 <b13202d401e1a20fec89b0cda733dcbaf279f79d
- Affected versionversion=eb36bedf28be6d986bdbcfa375bab08ffa45efd8 <dd633280de7fdfd60dc4fcf63d04e2ad95b43269
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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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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