Linux Kernel up to 7.0-rc2 nci_transceive memory leak

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CTI Interest Score
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4.6$0-$5k1.61

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 7.0-rc2 and classified as critical. Impacted is the function nci_transceive. This manipulation causes memory leak. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2026-23339. There is no available exploit. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 7.0-rc2 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function nci_transceive. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory leak vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-401. The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, which slowly consumes remaining memory. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfc: nci: free skb on nci_transceive early error paths nci_transceive() takes ownership of the skb passed by the caller, but the -EPROTO, -EINVAL, and -EBUSY error paths return without freeing it. Due to issues clearing NCI_DATA_EXCHANGE fixed by subsequent changes the nci/nci_dev selftest hits the error path occasionally in NIPA, and kmemleak detects leaks: unreferenced object 0xff11000015ce6a40 (size 640): comm "nci_dev", pid 3954, jiffies 4295441246 hex dump (first 32 bytes): 6b 6b 6b 6b 00 a4 00 0c 02 e1 03 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b kkkk.......kkkkk 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b 6b kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk backtrace (crc 7c40cc2a): kmem_cache_alloc_node_noprof+0x492/0x630 __alloc_skb+0x11e/0x5f0 alloc_skb_with_frags+0xc6/0x8f0 sock_alloc_send_pskb+0x326/0x3f0 nfc_alloc_send_skb+0x94/0x1d0 rawsock_sendmsg+0x162/0x4c0 do_syscall_64+0x117/0xfc0

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-23339 since 01/13/2026. The exploitation appears to be difficult. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

Upgrading to version 6.1.167, 6.6.130, 6.12.77, 6.18.17, 6.19.7 or 7.0-rc3 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 33f6b8a96dda045789796c3bcb451c74ac158039/dcbcccfc5195c9caaa4bb8d31f23c345f00a9e89/3245801d44a44c090acefe19a12d22d12cac45c5/9d448bbab724b94d6c561e1f314656f5b88a7cb3/54f7f0eaafa56b5994cdb5c7967946922c2e1d22/7bd4b0c4779f978a6528c9b7937d2ca18e936e2c is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 4.8
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.6

VulDB Base Score: 4.8
VulDB Temp Score: 4.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Memory leak
CWE: CWE-401 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.1.167/6.6.130/6.12.77/6.18.17/6.19.7/7.0-rc3
Patch: 33f6b8a96dda045789796c3bcb451c74ac158039/dcbcccfc5195c9caaa4bb8d31f23c345f00a9e89/3245801d44a44c090acefe19a12d22d12cac45c5/9d448bbab724b94d6c561e1f314656f5b88a7cb3/54f7f0eaafa56b5994cdb5c7967946922c2e1d22/7bd4b0c4779f978a6528c9b7937d2ca18e936e2c

Timelineinfo

01/13/2026 CVE reserved
03/25/2026 +71 days Advisory disclosed
03/25/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
03/30/2026 +5 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-23339 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-23339
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-353083

Entryinfo

Created: 03/25/2026 13:25
Updated: 03/30/2026 06:54
Changes: 03/25/2026 13:25 (58), 03/30/2026 06:54 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216:128:103

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