Resource leak via skipped namespace cleanup
Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 17, 2026
Linux 6.18 network-namespace resource leakage allows local users to retain kernel allocations through failed namespace creation. In net/core/net_namespace.c, copy_net_ns() skips key_remove_domain() and net_passive_dec() when preinit_net() returns after ns_common_init() fails, leaving net_alloc() resources allocated. Reaching this path requires local namespace creation access and an initialization failure; the published mechanism does not establish a crash, hang, or reboot.
Summary
What happened
Linux 6.18 network-namespace resource leakage allows local users to retain kernel allocations through failed namespace creation. In net/core/net_namespace.c, copy_net_ns() skips key_remove_domain() and net_passive_dec() when preinit_net() returns after ns_common_init() fails, leaving net_alloc() resources allocated. Reaching this path requires local namespace creation access and an initialization failure; the published mechanism does not establish a crash, hang, or reboot.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-90077
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 17, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 17, 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=08027f6b790be1e444e4182fb4dc53faa6539d16 <3220b62fbb8a55feebd2a826d5ead0f49f09ed5a
- Affected versionversion=08027f6b790be1e444e4182fb4dc53faa6539d16 <76c847e80d2b6be047707d58e8e05eedbe2593ad
- Affected versionversion=08027f6b790be1e444e4182fb4dc53faa6539d16 <e69bde4eb566aea8fa97cbb93e0bab608964f1a5
- Affected versionversion=6.18
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
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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