CVE-2026-53261
Received Received - Intake
Memory Leak in Linux Kernel devlink Subsystem

Publication date: 2026-06-25

Last updated on: 2026-06-25

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: devlink: Release nested relation on devlink free devlink relation state is normally released from devl_unregister(), which calls devlink_rel_put(). This misses devlink instances that get a nested relation before registration and then fail probe before devl_register() is reached. That flow can happen for SFs. The child devlink gets linked to its parent before registration, then a later probe error calls devlink_free() directly. Since the instance was never registered, devl_unregister() is not called and devlink->rel is leaked. Release any pending relation from devlink_free() as well. The registered path is unchanged because devl_unregister() already clears devlink->rel before devlink_free() runs.
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
Probability:
Percentile:
Meta Information
Published
2026-06-25
Last Modified
2026-06-25
Generated
2026-06-25
AI Q&A
2026-06-25
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-53261
EUVD
EUVD-2026-39212
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel *
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Quick Actions
Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's devlink component. It involves the improper release of nested relations during the devlink free process. Normally, devlink relations are released during the unregister process, but in certain cases where a devlink instance gets a nested relation before registration and then fails to probe, the unregister function is never called. This causes the nested relation to be leaked because the release step is missed. The fix ensures that any pending nested relations are released during the devlink free process as well.

Impact Analysis

The vulnerability can lead to resource leaks in the Linux kernel's devlink subsystem. Specifically, nested relations that are not properly released may accumulate, potentially causing memory leaks or other resource management issues. This could degrade system stability or performance over time, especially in environments where devlink instances frequently fail to register properly.

Chat Assistant
Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-53261. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70
EPSS Chart