Devlink Relation Leak in Linux Kernel Affects Device Functionality

CVE-2026-53261

What is CVE-2026-53261?

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel has been identified where a devlink relation can leak due to improper handling during the registration process. Specifically, if a device instance is linked to its parent before registration and fails to probe properly, the devlink relation remains unreleased. This resource leak occurs because the standard devlink relationship cleanup via devl_unregister() does not trigger. As a result, developers must ensure that any pending relations are released during devlink_free() to prevent potential system resource exhaustion. The resolution focuses on safeguarding integrity and maintaining device functionality.

References