CVE-2026-89664
Received Received - Intake

Memory Leak in Linux Kernel NFS Server

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-89664, including description, CVSS score, EPSS score, affected products, exploitability, helpful resources, and attack-flow context.

Publication date: 2026-09-11

Last updated on: 2026-09-11

Assigner: kernel.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: release OPEN-decoded posix ACLs via op_release nfsd4_decode_createhow4() calls nfsd4_decode_fattr4(), which allocates refcounted struct posix_acl objects via posix_acl_alloc() and stores them in open->op_pacl and open->op_dpacl. These pointers must be released once the OPEN compound finishes. When nfsd4_decode_open_claim4() returns a non-seqid-mutating error, the dispatcher short-circuits before op_func runs: nfsd4_proc_compound() if (op->status && op->opnum == OP_OPEN) op->status = nfsd4_open_omfg(...) if (!seqid_mutating_err(ntohl(op->status))) return op->status; /* nfsd4_open() never runs */ ... opdesc->op_release(&op->u) /* must still release op_pacl/op_dpacl */ Before this change OP_OPEN had no .op_release in nfsd4_ops[], and the release pair lived inside nfsd4_open() at its out_err: label. On the short-circuit path nfsd4_open() is never invoked, so both posix_acl refs leak on every malformed OPEN compound that carries valid POSIX ACL createhow4 attributes. Add nfsd4_open_release() and wire it as .op_release for OP_OPEN. posix_acl_release() is NULL-safe, so the single release site covers both the normal path and the nfsd4_open_omfg short-circuit. Remove the matching posix_acl_release() pair from nfsd4_open()'s out_err: label to avoid double-releasing. The compound loop has two encoding branches: nfsd4_encode_operation() for normal ops, and nfsd4_encode_replay() for v4.0 replayed ops. op_release was only called from nfsd4_encode_operation(), so resources attached to op->u leak on the replay path. Move the op_release() call out of nfsd4_encode_operation() and the replay branch, placing it after the if-else in nfsd4_proc_compound(). This gives a single call site in a fairly obviously-correct place, covering both the normal encoding and replay paths.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-11
Last Modified
2026-09-11
Generated
2026-09-12
AI Q&A
2026-09-11
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
EUVD

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves a memory leak in the NFS server (nfsd) when handling OPEN operations with POSIX ACL attributes. When a malformed OPEN request with valid ACL attributes is processed, the kernel fails to release allocated ACL resources, causing them to leak. This happens because the error handling path bypasses the normal cleanup routine.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's NFS server implementation and requires kernel-level inspection. Detection involves checking for unpatched kernel versions and monitoring for memory leaks in NFS-related processes. Use commands like 'uname -a' to check kernel version and 'dmesg | grep nfsd' to look for NFS-related errors. No direct network commands detect this vulnerability.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability could lead to resource exhaustion on systems running the affected Linux kernel version. Over time, leaked ACL objects may consume excessive memory, potentially causing performance degradation or system instability. It primarily affects systems using NFSv4 with POSIX ACL support.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest kernel security patches from your Linux distribution. If patches are unavailable, consider disabling NFS server functionality temporarily or restricting NFS access via firewall rules. Monitor system logs for NFS-related errors or memory leaks as indicators of exploitation.

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