CVE-2026-23258
Description
A memory leak was found in the Linux kernel's LiquidIO network driver. In setup_nic_devices(), the netdev structure is allocated via alloc_etherdev_mq() but the pointer is stored in oct->props[i].netdev only after queue setup calls. If netif_set_real_num_rx_queues() or netif_set_real_num_tx_queues() fails, the allocated netdev is not freed because liquidio_destroy_nic_device() cannot find it.
Statement
This flaw affects systems using Cavium LiquidIO network adapters. The memory leak occurs when queue setup fails during device initialization, which is an uncommon error condition. The issue was discovered via static analysis and code review. While repeated failures could leak memory, this does not lead to crashes, memory corruption, or code execution.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, prevent the liquidio module from being loaded. See https://access.redhat.com/solutions/41278 for instructions.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 3.3 | 5.5 | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Local | Local | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | Low | Low | N/A |
| Privileges Required | Low | Low | N/A |
| User Interaction | None | None | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | Unchanged | N/A |
| Confidentiality | None | None | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | None | None | N/A |
| Availability Impact | Low | High | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
NVD: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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