CVE-2026-23046
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BaseFortify

Publication date: 2026-02-04

Last updated on: 2026-02-04

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: virtio_net: fix device mismatch in devm_kzalloc/devm_kfree Initial rss_hdr allocation uses virtio_device->device, but virtnet_set_queues() frees using net_device->device. This device mismatch causing below devres warning [ 3788.514041] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [ 3788.514044] WARNING: drivers/base/devres.c:1095 at devm_kfree+0x84/0x98, CPU#16: vdpa/1463 [ 3788.514054] Modules linked in: octep_vdpa virtio_net virtio_vdpa [last unloaded: virtio_vdpa] [ 3788.514064] CPU: 16 UID: 0 PID: 1463 Comm: vdpa Tainted: G W 6.18.0 #10 PREEMPT [ 3788.514067] Tainted: [W]=WARN [ 3788.514069] Hardware name: Marvell CN106XX board (DT) [ 3788.514071] pstate: 63400009 (nZCv daif +PAN -UAO +TCO +DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) [ 3788.514074] pc : devm_kfree+0x84/0x98 [ 3788.514076] lr : devm_kfree+0x54/0x98 [ 3788.514079] sp : ffff800084e2f220 [ 3788.514080] x29: ffff800084e2f220 x28: ffff0003b2366000 x27: 000000000000003f [ 3788.514085] x26: 000000000000003f x25: ffff000106f17c10 x24: 0000000000000080 [ 3788.514089] x23: ffff00045bb8ab08 x22: ffff00045bb8a000 x21: 0000000000000018 [ 3788.514093] x20: ffff0004355c3080 x19: ffff00045bb8aa00 x18: 0000000000080000 [ 3788.514098] x17: 0000000000000040 x16: 000000000000001f x15: 000000000007ffff [ 3788.514102] x14: 0000000000000488 x13: 0000000000000005 x12: 00000000000fffff [ 3788.514106] x11: ffffffffffffffff x10: 0000000000000005 x9 : ffff800080c8c05c [ 3788.514110] x8 : ffff800084e2eeb8 x7 : 0000000000000000 x6 : 000000000000003f [ 3788.514115] x5 : ffff8000831bafe0 x4 : ffff800080c8b010 x3 : ffff0004355c3080 [ 3788.514119] x2 : ffff0004355c3080 x1 : 0000000000000000 x0 : 0000000000000000 [ 3788.514123] Call trace: [ 3788.514125] devm_kfree+0x84/0x98 (P) [ 3788.514129] virtnet_set_queues+0x134/0x2e8 [virtio_net] [ 3788.514135] virtnet_probe+0x9c0/0xe00 [virtio_net] [ 3788.514139] virtio_dev_probe+0x1e0/0x338 [ 3788.514144] really_probe+0xc8/0x3a0 [ 3788.514149] __driver_probe_device+0x84/0x170 [ 3788.514152] driver_probe_device+0x44/0x120 [ 3788.514155] __device_attach_driver+0xc4/0x168 [ 3788.514158] bus_for_each_drv+0x8c/0xf0 [ 3788.514161] __device_attach+0xa4/0x1c0 [ 3788.514164] device_initial_probe+0x1c/0x30 [ 3788.514168] bus_probe_device+0xb4/0xc0 [ 3788.514170] device_add+0x614/0x828 [ 3788.514173] register_virtio_device+0x214/0x258 [ 3788.514175] virtio_vdpa_probe+0xa0/0x110 [virtio_vdpa] [ 3788.514179] vdpa_dev_probe+0xa8/0xd8 [ 3788.514183] really_probe+0xc8/0x3a0 [ 3788.514186] __driver_probe_device+0x84/0x170 [ 3788.514189] driver_probe_device+0x44/0x120 [ 3788.514192] __device_attach_driver+0xc4/0x168 [ 3788.514195] bus_for_each_drv+0x8c/0xf0 [ 3788.514197] __device_attach+0xa4/0x1c0 [ 3788.514200] device_initial_probe+0x1c/0x30 [ 3788.514203] bus_probe_device+0xb4/0xc0 [ 3788.514206] device_add+0x614/0x828 [ 3788.514209] _vdpa_register_device+0x58/0x88 [ 3788.514211] octep_vdpa_dev_add+0x104/0x228 [octep_vdpa] [ 3788.514215] vdpa_nl_cmd_dev_add_set_doit+0x2d0/0x3c0 [ 3788.514218] genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0xe4/0x158 [ 3788.514222] genl_rcv_msg+0x218/0x298 [ 3788.514225] netlink_rcv_skb+0x64/0x138 [ 3788.514229] genl_rcv+0x40/0x60 [ 3788.514233] netlink_unicast+0x32c/0x3b0 [ 3788.514237] netlink_sendmsg+0x170/0x3b8 [ 3788.514241] __sys_sendto+0x12c/0x1c0 [ 3788.514246] __arm64_sys_sendto+0x30/0x48 [ 3788.514249] invoke_syscall.constprop.0+0x58/0xf8 [ 3788.514255] do_el0_svc+0x48/0xd0 [ 3788.514259] el0_svc+0x48/0x210 [ 3788.514264] el0t_64_sync_handler+0xa0/0xe8 [ 3788.514268] el0t_64_sync+0x198/0x1a0 [ 3788.514271] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- Fix by using virtio_device->device consistently for allocation and deallocation
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Meta Information
Published
2026-02-04
Last Modified
2026-02-04
Generated
2026-06-16
AI Q&A
2026-02-04
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-15
NVD
CVE-2026-23046
EUVD
EUVD-2026-5501
Affected Vendors & Products
Currently, no data is known.
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN
Attack-Flow Graph
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Executive Summary

This vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's virtio_net driver where there is a device mismatch during memory allocation and deallocation.

Specifically, the initial allocation of rss_hdr uses virtio_device->device, but the freeing of this memory in virtnet_set_queues() uses net_device->device instead.

This mismatch causes a devres warning and can lead to improper resource management within the kernel.

The fix involved consistently using virtio_device->device for both allocation and deallocation to prevent this mismatch.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can cause warnings related to device resource management in the kernel, which may indicate improper handling of allocated memory.

While the description does not explicitly mention security impacts such as crashes or privilege escalation, improper resource management can potentially lead to system instability or unexpected behavior.

Therefore, the impact may include kernel warnings, possible resource leaks, or instability in systems using the affected virtio_net driver.

Compliance Impact

I don't know

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability manifests as a device mismatch warning in the Linux kernel logs related to virtio_net. You can detect it by checking the kernel log messages for specific devres warnings.

  • Use the command: dmesg | grep 'WARNING: drivers/base/devres.c' to search for the devm_kfree warning messages.
  • Look for log entries similar to: 'WARNING: drivers/base/devres.c:1095 at devm_kfree+0x84/0x98' and references to virtio_net or vdpa modules.
Mitigation Strategies

The vulnerability is fixed by ensuring consistent use of virtio_device->device for both allocation and deallocation in the virtio_net driver.

Immediate mitigation steps include updating your Linux kernel to a version that contains the fix for this issue.

If updating the kernel is not immediately possible, monitor kernel logs for the warning and avoid using affected virtio_net configurations that trigger the issue.

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