Linux Kernel up to 6.19.3 hns3_set_ringparam tx_spare double free

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.19.3. This affects the function hns3_set_ringparam. Executing a manipulation of the argument tx_spare can lead to double free. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2026-45891. No exploit exists. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.19.3. It has been declared as critical. This vulnerability affects the function hns3_set_ringparam. The manipulation of the argument tx_spare with an unknown input leads to a double free vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-415. The product calls free() twice on the same memory address, potentially leading to modification of unexpected memory locations. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: hns3: fix double free issue for tx spare buffer In hns3_set_ringparam(), a temporary copy (tmp_rings) of the ring structure is created for rollback. However, the tx_spare pointer in the original ring handle is incorrectly left pointing to the old backup memory. Later, if memory allocation fails in hns3_init_all_ring() during the setup, the error path attempts to free all newly allocated rings. Since tx_spare contains a stale (non-NULL) pointer from the backup, it is mistaken for a newly allocated buffer and is erroneously freed, leading to a double-free of the backup memory. The root cause is that the tx_spare field was not cleared after its value was saved in tmp_rings, leaving a dangling pointer. Fix this by setting tx_spare to NULL in the original ring structure when the creation of the new `tx_spare` fails. This ensures the error cleanup path only frees genuinely newly allocated buffers.

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-45891 since 05/13/2026. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 06/26/2026).

Upgrading to version 5.15.202, 6.1.165, 6.6.128, 6.12.75, 6.18.14 or 6.19.4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch fb6a4c376d454b425555b1b0bda36e99f56ec307/43015461662d41dcfb3bb95fadd8a2a42ad8eacf/6dc10494cfe27b6f1e9adb7e293293ae39c50b7c/d2c785733dfb853ea0b53984c75662a1af230a94/fdbccddb7e7822016601829f95de4008e193f7bc/c3659273860bed0c8e573b865e3769abc51225a8/6d2f142b1e4b203387a92519d9d2e34752a79dbb 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.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2026-1700). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Affected

• Google Container-Optimized OS
• Debian Linux
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• SUSE openSUSE
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Open Source Linux Kernel

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.15.201
• 6.1.164
• 6.6.127
• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3
• 6.12.4
• 6.12.5
• 6.12.6
• 6.12.7
• 6.12.8
• 6.12.9
• 6.12.10
• 6.12.11
• 6.12.12
• 6.12.13
• 6.12.14
• 6.12.15
• 6.12.16
• 6.12.17
• 6.12.18
• 6.12.19
• 6.12.20
• 6.12.21
• 6.12.22
• 6.12.23
• 6.12.24
• 6.12.25
• 6.12.26
• 6.12.27
• 6.12.28
• 6.12.29
• 6.12.30
• 6.12.31
• 6.12.32
• 6.12.33
• 6.12.34
• 6.12.35
• 6.12.36
• 6.12.37
• 6.12.38
• 6.12.39
• 6.12.40
• 6.12.41
• 6.12.42
• 6.12.43
• 6.12.44
• 6.12.45
• 6.12.46
• 6.12.47
• 6.12.48
• 6.12.49
• 6.12.50
• 6.12.51
• 6.12.52
• 6.12.53
• 6.12.54
• 6.12.55
• 6.12.56
• 6.12.57
• 6.12.58
• 6.12.59
• 6.12.60
• 6.12.61
• 6.12.62
• 6.12.63
• 6.12.64
• 6.12.65
• 6.12.66
• 6.12.67
• 6.12.68
• 6.12.69
• 6.12.70
• 6.12.71
• 6.12.72
• 6.12.73
• 6.12.74
• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.19.0
• 6.19.1
• 6.19.2
• 6.19.3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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