Reference leak in Linux kernel overlay changeset on init failure
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 3 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel from 4.15 contains a reference leak in its devicetree overlay code. When initialization of an overlay changeset fails partway through, the target and overlay references taken for already initialized fragments are never released. The resulting leak affects kernel memory management when such an overlay is applied.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-07
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: of/overlay: don't leak fragment references when changeset init fails init_overlay_changeset() stores the number of initialized fragments in ovcs->count only on full success. When find_target() or the __symbols__ lookup fails partway through, the target and overlay references taken for the fragments initialized so far are never dropped: free_overlay_changeset() bounds its cleanup loop by ovcs->count, which is still 0. Store the running count on the error path so free_overlay_changeset() puts whatever was set up. The store is guarded by ovcs->fragments because on the allocation-failure path cnt still holds the counting pass total while there is no fragments array; everywhere else cnt only counts fully-initialized fragments.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 4.15 and later | 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10, 7.3 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.15 and later Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10, 7.3 Patch available CNA
Remediation
Linux kernel fixed versions are 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10 and 7.3. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 are affected, and Red Hat lists no fix available for them.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-07
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98831
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-vvrp-cfq6-9c5c
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@702b5db6e7b3865be70675d57d6fd7dde80d02b6 · CNA
- 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-10-24 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-24 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected] +3 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 3 new references · CNA
- 2026-11-07 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c654f283d7db20648a5bbf979209f78d4fa9be3f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/64517aeaa3d8b158e4d01321a095be48cb551251
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bbe3dc64b28a14bd9ecb514bbf5115ac8472ed80
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/702b5db6e7b3865be70675d57d6fd7dde80d02b6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/894573e2fdaeb1b15030b7eebc22615edf28a6cd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7a46f1917b320cc8762183b802301da02a191b6a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3a23fb158ba517b77a2e5258263bdfdaa480f758
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1d62f0f2bc7edb12ed09f71203df0e47fa4efca4
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98831 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98831 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-vvrp-cfq6-9c5c · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98831 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences