CVE-2026-97440

Received Received - Intake

Memory Leak in Linux Kernel QRTR

Publication date: 2026-09-24

Last updated on: 2026-10-03

Assigner: kernel.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: qrtr: fix node refcount leak on ctrl packet alloc failure qrtr_send_resume_tx() calls qrtr_node_lookup() which takes a reference on the returned node. If the subsequent call to qrtr_alloc_ctrl_packet() fails due to memory allocation failure, the function returns -ENOMEM without calling qrtr_node_release() to release the node reference. Add qrtr_node_release(node) before returning on the allocation failure path to properly release the reference.

CVSS Scores

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Meta Information

Published

2026-09-24

Last Modified

2026-10-03

Generated

2026-10-15

AI Q&A

2026-09-24

EPSS Evaluated

2026-10-13

NVD

CVE-2026-97440

EUVD

EUVD-2026-86053

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
linux	kernel	*

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This is a reference count leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's network subsystem, specifically in the QRTR (Qualcomm IPC Router) module. When a memory allocation fails during packet processing, a node reference is not properly released, leading to a resource leak.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's qrtr (Qualcomm IPC Router) subsystem and involves a reference count leak during control packet allocation failures. Detection requires kernel-level monitoring rather than network commands.

To detect this issue, check kernel logs for qrtr-related errors or warnings, particularly during memory pressure scenarios. Monitor reference counts of qrtr nodes using kernel tracing tools like ftrace or perf.

Impact Analysis

This could lead to system resource exhaustion over time as leaked references accumulate. It may cause performance degradation or unexpected system behavior due to improper memory management in network operations.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability does not directly affect compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, or similar standards. It is a local denial-of-service issue in the Linux kernel's qrtr subsystem due to a node refcount leak, which could lead to resource exhaustion but does not involve data breaches or unauthorized access.

Mitigation Strategies

Update the Linux kernel to a patched version that includes the fix for CVE-2026-97440. Monitor system logs for memory allocation failures in the qrtr module as a potential indicator of exploitation attempts.

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