Kernel memory leak via incomplete initialization cleanup
Published Sep 11, 2026 · Updated Sep 11, 2026
Memory leak in the Linux kernel 6.11 rtl8192du Wi-Fi driver allows attackers to consume kernel memory during failed device initialization. rtl92du_init_sw_vars() calls rtl92du_init_shared_data() but returns from later firmware-buffer allocation and firmware-request error paths without invoking rtl92du_deinit_shared_data() to free the shared allocations. The record does not establish that unprivileged users can trigger these paths or that the leak causes a crash or other service interruption.
Summary
What happened
Memory leak in the Linux kernel 6.11 rtl8192du Wi-Fi driver allows attackers to consume kernel memory during failed device initialization. rtl92du_init_sw_vars() calls rtl92du_init_shared_data() but returns from later firmware-buffer allocation and firmware-request error paths without invoking rtl92du_deinit_shared_data() to free the shared allocations. The record does not establish that unprivileged users can trigger these paths or that the leak causes a crash or other service interruption.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-80942
- 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=6.11
- Affected versionversion=b5dc8873b6ffebd331e46814e537179eac8b6aa4 <3a5b23e7dbeb00c93ec3b8add97f5de9bb9cbb5c
- Affected versionversion=b5dc8873b6ffebd331e46814e537179eac8b6aa4 <6496ce90845df2d22fb8e8ed235cd2936fad41c8
- Affected versionversion=b5dc8873b6ffebd331e46814e537179eac8b6aa4 <7159e1e12468a0b1ac519b296280c0a27f91eab5
- Affected versionversion=b5dc8873b6ffebd331e46814e537179eac8b6aa4 <dc8b0be0ec4d9b0c80f07b27e656e4a94de5a344
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
No sourced classifications are available.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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