CVE-2026-23259
Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete

Use-After-Free Vulnerability in Linux Kernel io_uring Component

Publication date: 2026-03-18

Last updated on: 2026-05-29

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: io_uring/rw: free potentially allocated iovec on cache put failure If a read/write request goes through io_req_rw_cleanup() and has an allocated iovec attached and fails to put to the rw_cache, then it may end up with an unaccounted iovec pointer. Have io_rw_recycle() return whether it recycled the request or not, and use that to gauge whether to free a potential iovec or not.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-03-18
Last Modified
2026-05-29
Generated
2026-07-06
AI Q&A
2026-03-18
EPSS Evaluated
2026-07-05
NVD
CVE-2026-23259
EUVD
EUVD-2026-12892

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 7 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel 6.19
linux linux_kernel 6.19
linux linux_kernel 6.19
linux linux_kernel 6.19
linux linux_kernel 6.19
linux linux_kernel 6.19
linux linux_kernel From 6.10 (inc) to 6.18.10 (exc)

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Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's io_uring subsystem, specifically in the read/write (rw) path. When a read or write request is processed, if it has an allocated iovec (a structure representing a buffer) attached and the request fails to be put back into the rw_cache, the iovec pointer may not be properly accounted for or freed. This can lead to a potential resource leak or memory management issue. The fix involves modifying the io_rw_recycle() function to indicate whether the request was recycled, which helps determine if the iovec should be freed.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can lead to improper memory management in the Linux kernel's io_uring subsystem. Specifically, if iovec pointers are not freed correctly, it may cause memory leaks or resource exhaustion over time. This can degrade system performance or stability, potentially leading to crashes or denial of service conditions if the system runs out of memory or resources.

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