CVE-2026-98486
Received Received - Intake

Memory Leak in Linux Kernel ENA Driver

Publication date: 2026-10-18

Last updated on: 2026-10-18

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ena: fix MMIO read buffer leak on probe failure ena_device_init() initializes the MMIO read mechanism with ena_com_mmio_reg_read_request_init(), which allocates a coherent DMA buffer for MMIO read responses. The normal removal path releases this buffer through ena_com_mmio_reg_read_request_destroy(). However, if ena_probe() fails after ena_device_init() succeeds, the error path destroys the admin resources and eventually frees ena_dev without destroying the MMIO read request, leaving the coherent DMA buffer allocated. Call ena_com_mmio_reg_read_request_destroy() in the probe error path before releasing the remaining device resources. This issue was found by manual code inspection.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-10-18
Last Modified
2026-10-18
Generated
2026-10-18
AI Q&A
2026-10-18
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-98486
EUVD
EUVD-2026-103726

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
Linux Linux 1738cd3ed342294360d6a74d4e58800004bff854
Linux Linux 1738cd3ed342294360d6a74d4e58800004bff854
Linux Linux 1738cd3ed342294360d6a74d4e58800004bff854
Linux Linux 1738cd3ed342294360d6a74d4e58800004bff854
Linux Linux 4.9

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Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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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 during device probe failure. The ena_device_init function allocates a DMA buffer for MMIO read responses, but if ena_probe fails afterward, the buffer is not properly released. This leaves the coherent DMA buffer allocated, wasting memory resources.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's ENA (Elastic Network Adapter) driver and involves a memory leak during probe failure. Detection requires checking kernel logs for ENA driver errors or memory leaks during driver initialization or failure scenarios.

Impact Analysis

The impact is primarily on system stability and resource usage. The memory leak could lead to gradual exhaustion of DMA-capable memory, potentially causing performance degradation or system instability over time if the device is frequently initialized and removed.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest kernel updates or patches that include the fix for this issue. Monitor kernel logs for ENA driver failures and ensure proper cleanup during driver initialization or removal.

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