Linux Kernel Fragment Reference Leak Vulnerability

CVE-2026-98831

What is CVE-2026-98831?

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel deals with the overlay changeset initialization process. If the initialization fails, the system fails to drop the target and overlay references for fragments initialized up to that point, which can lead to memory resource leaks. This occurs due to an oversight in the error handling during the setup process. Specifically, the count of initialized fragments is not properly stored on failure paths, causing improper cleanup routines that can destabilize the kernel. The fixes implemented ensure that the cleanup loop is correctly bounded by the number of initialized fragments, enhancing overall system reliability and memory management.

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