CVE-2026-23032: null_blk: fix kmemleak by releasing references to fault configfs items
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
nullblk: fix kmemleak by releasing references to fault configfs items
When CONFIGBLKDEVNULLBLKFAULTINJECTION is enabled, the null-blk driver sets up fault injection support by creating the timeoutinject, requeueinject, and inithctxfaultinject configfs items as children of the top-level nullbX configfs group.
However, when the nullbX device is removed, the references taken to these fault-config configfs items are not released. As a result, kmemleak reports a memory leak, for example:
unreferenced object 0xc00000021ff25c40 (size 32): comm "mkdir", pid 10665, jiffies 4322121578 hex dump (first 32 bytes): 69 6e 69 74 5f 68 63 74 78 5f 66 61 75 6c 74 5f inithctxfault 69 6e 6a 65 63 74 00 88 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 inject.......... backtrace (crc 1a018c86): kmallocnodetrackcallernoprof+0x494/0xbd8 kvasprintf+0x74/0xf4 configitemsetname+0xf0/0x104 configgroupinittypename+0x48/0xfc faultconfiginit+0x48/0xf0 0xc0080000180559e4 configfsmkdir+0x304/0x814 vfsmkdir+0x49c/0x604 domkdirat+0x314/0x3d0 sysmkdir+0xa0/0xd8 systemcallexception+0x1b0/0x4f0 systemcallvectoredcommon+0x15c/0x2ec
Fix this by explicitly releasing the references to the fault-config configfs items when dropping the reference to the top-level nullbX configfs group.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
debian/linuxto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.1.176-1Fixed in 6.1.190-1Fixed in 6.12.107-1Fixed in 6.12.113-1Fixed in 7.2.12-1Fixed in 7.2.13-1
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-23032?
CVE-2026-23032 is classified as a high severity vulnerability due to the risk of memory leaks.
How do I fix CVE-2026-23032?
To fix CVE-2026-23032, ensure that you update to the latest version of the Linux kernel that addresses this issue.
What component is affected by CVE-2026-23032?
CVE-2026-23032 affects the null_blk driver in the Linux kernel.
What condition triggers CVE-2026-23032?
CVE-2026-23032 is triggered when CONFIG_BLK_DEV_NULL_BLK_FAULT_INJECTION is enabled.
What are the implications of CVE-2026-23032 for system stability?
CVE-2026-23032 can lead to potential system instability due to memory leaks if not addressed.