CVE-2026-97510
Received Received - Intake

Thunderbolt Memory Leak in Linux Kernel

Publication date: 2026-09-24

Last updated on: 2026-09-24

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: thunderbolt: Release request if tb_cfg_request() fails in __tb_xdomain_response() If tb_cfg_request() fails setting up the request (for example the control channel is shut down already) it returns an error without calling the callback. To avoid leaking that memory, call tb_cfg_request_put() if tb_cfg_request() fails.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-24
Last Modified
2026-09-24
Generated
2026-09-24
AI Q&A
2026-09-24
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-97510
EUVD
EUVD-2026-86108

Affected Vendors & Products

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

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Exploitability

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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This is a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Thunderbolt subsystem. When a configuration request fails in the __tb_xdomain_response function, the system does not properly release allocated memory for the request. This happens because tb_cfg_request() returns an error without calling the cleanup callback, leaving memory unreleased.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's Thunderbolt subsystem. Detection requires checking kernel logs for Thunderbolt-related errors or memory leaks. Use commands like dmesg | grep thunderbolt or journalctl -k | grep thunderbolt to inspect logs for failures in tb_cfg_request().

If Thunderbolt devices are connected, monitor for unexpected disconnections or control channel shutdowns during operation.

Impact Analysis

The impact is primarily on system stability and resource usage. A memory leak can cause the system to gradually consume more memory over time, potentially leading to performance degradation or crashes if the leak is significant. However, this specific issue is limited to Thunderbolt device configuration requests.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest kernel update provided by your Linux distribution to patch this vulnerability. If immediate patching is not possible, avoid using Thunderbolt devices until the update is applied.

Disable Thunderbolt if not in use by blacklisting the thunderbolt module or unloading it with modprobe -r thunderbolt.

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