Kernel memory leak via failed i915 reallocation
Published Sep 25, 2026 · Updated Sep 25, 2026
Memory leak in Linux 5.5 and later allows local users to retain kernel memory after a failed i915 performance query. In query_perf_config_list(), a failed krealloc() returns without freeing the original oa_config_ids buffer, making that allocation unreachable. Triggerability requires the i915 driver and a failed kernel reallocation; published material establishes neither a reliable way to force failure nor a resulting crash.
Summary
What happened
Memory leak in Linux 5.5 and later allows local users to retain kernel memory after a failed i915 performance query. In query_perf_config_list(), a failed krealloc() returns without freeing the original oa_config_ids buffer, making that allocation unreachable. Triggerability requires the i915 driver and a failed kernel reallocation; published material establishes neither a reliable way to force failure nor a resulting crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-97899
- Published
- Sep 25, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 25, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 25, 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=4f6ccc74a85cbb4cdd373c374dc76398dc7603a1 <59e0a04d95e160547065ab3704bd809ddf3f0e1e
- Affected versionversion=4f6ccc74a85cbb4cdd373c374dc76398dc7603a1 <9ac6db531abe98adfd395fea25c00fee37de8154
- Affected versionversion=4f6ccc74a85cbb4cdd373c374dc76398dc7603a1 <cbd3dafc2003db679ccd2f6c6a2551db79657049
- Affected versionversion=4f6ccc74a85cbb4cdd373c374dc76398dc7603a1 <d004303557924077a327d71c80f5863b1b9ff1d7
- Affected versionversion=5.5
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.
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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