Kernel memory consumption via unfreed transmit buffers
Published Sep 11, 2026 · Updated Sep 11, 2026
Memory leak in Linux 5.7 and later leaves failed rtw88 transmit buffers allocated in kernel memory after an HCI write error. The rtw_txq_push_skb error path returns when rtw_hci_tx_write fails without calling ieee80211_free_txskb on the dequeued skb. The flaw requires an rtw88-supported wireless device and an HCI transmission failure; repeated failures consume kernel memory, but no service interruption is documented.
Summary
What happened
Memory leak in Linux 5.7 and later leaves failed rtw88 transmit buffers allocated in kernel memory after an HCI write error. The rtw_txq_push_skb error path returns when rtw_hci_tx_write fails without calling ieee80211_free_txskb on the dequeued skb. The flaw requires an rtw88-supported wireless device and an HCI transmission failure; repeated failures consume kernel memory, but no service interruption is documented.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-80941
- Published
- Sep 11, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- Unavailable
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 11, 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=5.7
- Affected versionversion=aaab5d0e673749f82ff34e5f15ea8a689789a9ce <51d8b35574721cf3fe744f46ebd9629916063fee
- Affected versionversion=aaab5d0e673749f82ff34e5f15ea8a689789a9ce <6e95852f904edbabf411793093fcfd6f6d49ef27
- Affected versionversion=aaab5d0e673749f82ff34e5f15ea8a689789a9ce <7364713f0931ee45fdf0bea27103b40ccc94979a
- Affected versionversion=aaab5d0e673749f82ff34e5f15ea8a689789a9ce <9f2948010764d708bda27369d09ce6f194abe8e3
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Weakness, pattern, technique
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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