Kernel memory leak via unfreed tunnel packets
Published Sep 11, 2026 · Updated Sep 11, 2026
Memory leak in the Linux kernel allows attackers to consume kernel memory through packets received by collect_md IPIP or MPLSIP tunnels. The ipip_tunnel_rcv() function returns success when ip_tun_rx_dst() cannot allocate metadata_dst, so neither its caller nor the function frees the skb. Reachability requires an IPIP or MPLSIP tunnel in collect_md mode and an atomic allocation failure; each qualifying failure leaks one packet buffer.
Summary
What happened
Memory leak in the Linux kernel allows attackers to consume kernel memory through packets received by collect_md IPIP or MPLSIP tunnels. The ipip_tunnel_rcv() function returns success when ip_tun_rx_dst() cannot allocate metadata_dst, so neither its caller nor the function frees the skb. Reachability requires an IPIP or MPLSIP tunnel in collect_md mode and an atomic allocation failure; each qualifying failure leaks one packet buffer.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-89565
- 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=4.9
- Affected versionversion=cfc7381b3002756b1dcada32979e942aa3126e31 <31e4be21dacee49395013caae28576484a049a4f
- Affected versionversion=cfc7381b3002756b1dcada32979e942aa3126e31 <6776efe4a52f289a3fc18f8adf19b035a7d8e1bb
- Affected versionversion=cfc7381b3002756b1dcada32979e942aa3126e31 <6d8c5b266d0035a061573843a7243be068eb6118
- Affected versionversion=cfc7381b3002756b1dcada32979e942aa3126e31 <fd01f1a3ed4a189a784654f7c69eb565872f2e12
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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