CVE-2026-89974Public exploit

Kernel crash via nvme-fc options double free

Published Sep 16, 2026 · Updated Sep 16, 2026

A double free in Linux 6.11 nvme-fc allows attackers to crash the kernel by forcing controller creation to fail under memory pressure. nvme_fc_init_ctrl() leaves ctrl->ctrl.opts set on the nvme_add_ctrl() error exit, causing nvme_fc_ctrl_free() and nvmf_create_ctrl() to free the same options. Reaching the flaw requires an nvme-fc controller-creation failure caused by allocation pressure or fault injection; the demonstrated consequence is kernel-memory corruption and service interruption.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probabilityUnavailable
No score available in this record
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A double free in Linux 6.11 nvme-fc allows attackers to crash the kernel by forcing controller creation to fail under memory pressure. nvme_fc_init_ctrl() leaves ctrl->ctrl.opts set on the nvme_add_ctrl() error exit, causing nvme_fc_ctrl_free() and nvmf_create_ctrl() to free the same options. Reaching the flaw requires an nvme-fc controller-creation failure caused by allocation pressure or fault injection; the demonstrated consequence is kernel-memory corruption and service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-89974
Published
Sep 16, 2026
Updated
Sep 16, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 16, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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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  1. Affected versionversion=1a9e218195a55d0a31e8cbe263aa2f618580ef1d <56e6279266f6962bb2d38a54397e3c605165b0c5
  2. Affected versionversion=1a9e218195a55d0a31e8cbe263aa2f618580ef1d <5f89d68c00ccd1b25151da0bf660012380c2bad9
  3. Affected versionversion=1a9e218195a55d0a31e8cbe263aa2f618580ef1d <7df913a7ced5d7349f0b23bdcf25ad54fe83a1c1
  4. Affected versionversion=1a9e218195a55d0a31e8cbe263aa2f618580ef1d <8bd14aa065112b4d523bea690027c7527a6224f6
  5. Affected versionversion=6.11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1a9e218195a55d0a31e8cbe263aa2f618580ef1d <56e6279266f6962bb2d38a54397e3c605165b0c5; version=1a9e218195a55d0a31e8cbe263aa2f618580ef1d <5f89d68c00ccd1b25151da0bf660012380c2bad9; version=1a9e218195a55d0a31e8cbe263aa2f618580ef1d <7df913a7ced5d7349f0b23bdcf25ad54fe83a1c1; version=1a9e218195a55d0a31e8cbe263aa2f618580ef1d <8bd14aa065112b4d523bea690027c7527a6224f6; version=6.11

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

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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