CVE-2026-90005Public exploit

Memory exhaustion via failed DAMON context cleanup

Published Sep 16, 2026 · Updated Sep 16, 2026

Memory leak in Linux kernel 6.14 allows local users to exhaust memory when the DAMON wsse sample module fails to start. The damon_sample_wsse_start function leaves its allocated DAMON context intact after damon_start returns an error, although callers assume failed starts clean up resources. Triggering the exclusive-start failure repeatedly requires administrator access and steadily consumes kernel memory, potentially disrupting later DAMON operations or system availability.

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

Memory leak in Linux kernel 6.14 allows local users to exhaust memory when the DAMON wsse sample module fails to start. The damon_sample_wsse_start function leaves its allocated DAMON context intact after damon_start returns an error, although callers assume failed starts clean up resources. Triggering the exclusive-start failure repeatedly requires administrator access and steadily consumes kernel memory, potentially disrupting later DAMON operations or system availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-90005
Published
Sep 16, 2026
Updated
Sep 16, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.14
  2. Affected versionversion=b757c6cfc696d43501632861f731412b14a7be86 <6179c7f47876d576dfe30efa8fbf1b0b1fdd13c0
  3. Affected versionversion=b757c6cfc696d43501632861f731412b14a7be86 <e4742be45ea45bf554399ce89a09f71e525d7981
  4. Affected versionversion=b757c6cfc696d43501632861f731412b14a7be86 <e60774d6335b89fac0be8b17a041fcffc508d281

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.14; version=b757c6cfc696d43501632861f731412b14a7be86 <6179c7f47876d576dfe30efa8fbf1b0b1fdd13c0; version=b757c6cfc696d43501632861f731412b14a7be86 <e4742be45ea45bf554399ce89a09f71e525d7981; version=b757c6cfc696d43501632861f731412b14a7be86 <e60774d6335b89fac0be8b17a041fcffc508d281

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
Privilegesadmin
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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