CVE-2026-31639 — rxrpc: Fix key reference count leak from call->key
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: rxrpc: Fix key reference count leak from call->key When creating a client call in rxrpc_alloc_client_call(), the code obtains a reference to the key. This is never cleaned up and gets leaked when the call is destroyed. Fix this by freeing call->key in rxrpc_destroy_call(). Before the patch, it shows the key reference counter elevated: $ cat /proc/keys | grep afs@54321 1bffe9cd I--Q--i 8053480 4169w 3b010000 1000 1000 rxrpc afs@54321: ka $ After the patch, the invalidated key is removed when the code exits: $ cat /proc/keys | grep afs@54321 $
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | version 6.2≥ f3441d4125fc98995858550a5521b8d7daf0504a and < d666540d217e8d420544ebdfbadeedd623562733≥ f3441d4125fc98995858550a5521b8d7daf0504a and < 978108902ee4ef2b348ff7ec36ad014dc5bc6dc6≥ f3441d4125fc98995858550a5521b8d7daf0504a and < 2e6ef713b1598f6acd7f302fa6b12b6731c89914≥ f3441d4125fc98995858550a5521b8d7daf0504a and < e6b7943c5dc875647499da09bf4d50a8557ab0c3≥ f3441d4125fc98995858550a5521b8d7daf0504a and < f1a7a3ab0f35f83cf11bba906b9e948cf3788c28 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel |
version 7.0-rc5version 7.0-rc7version 7.0-rc6≥ 6.2.1 and < 6.6.135version 7.0-rc4version 7.0-rc3version 7.0-rc2version 7.0-rc1 and 4 moreversion 6.2≥ 6.19 and < 6.19.13≥ 6.13 and < 6.18.23≥ 6.7 and < 6.12.82 |
Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.8 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.16%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 5.5
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
5 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e6b7943c5dc875647499da09bf4d50a8557ab0c3
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/978108902ee4ef2b348ff7ec36ad014dc5bc6dc6
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e6ef713b1598f6acd7f302fa6b12b6731c89914
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d666540d217e8d420544ebdfbadeedd623562733
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f1a7a3ab0f35f83cf11bba906b9e948cf3788c28
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 13h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 13h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98428 ALSA: usb: 6fire: Avoid embedded URBs 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98429 RDMA/efa: Keep EQ resources alive while IRQ is registered 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No CWE classification.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-31639 is "rxrpc: Fix key reference count leak from call->key", rated Medium. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.16% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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