Memory depletion via unreleased topology nodes
Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 17, 2026
Memory leakage in Linux FireWire allows attackers to consume kernel memory via invalid self-ID data during topology construction. The build_tree() function in drivers/firewire/core-topology.c returns from error paths without freeing previously allocated nodes in its linked list and parent ports. Exposure requires the affected FireWire path and influence over its self-ID input; the disclosed consequence is memory consumption, with no specific hang, crash, or reboot established.
Summary
What happened
Memory leakage in Linux FireWire allows attackers to consume kernel memory via invalid self-ID data during topology construction. The build_tree() function in drivers/firewire/core-topology.c returns from error paths without freeing previously allocated nodes in its linked list and parent ports. Exposure requires the affected FireWire path and influence over its self-ID input; the disclosed consequence is memory consumption, with no specific hang, crash, or reboot established.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-90213
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 17, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-772
- 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
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=2.6.22
- Affected versionversion=3038e353cfaf548eb94f02b172b9dbe412abd24c <05bfb1327dc5fb61528bab31cd8f0c1e4bddec23
- Affected versionversion=3038e353cfaf548eb94f02b172b9dbe412abd24c <6a990e74d4e848f32eda91d69e4f885604fc326d
- Affected versionversion=3038e353cfaf548eb94f02b172b9dbe412abd24c <848eaef4d30b385eb074214b7fa58287506158ad
- Affected versionversion=3038e353cfaf548eb94f02b172b9dbe412abd24c <d6037e42aa4dd29bb9d9f67ef438128c5bfe3448
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
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Get started to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Get started