CVE-2026-46141 — powerpc/xive: fix kmemleak caused by incorrect chip_data lookup
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: powerpc/xive: fix kmemleak caused by incorrect chip_data lookup The kmemleak reports the following memory leak: Unreferenced object 0xc0000002a7fbc640 (size 64): comm "kworker/8:1", pid 540, jiffies 4294937872 hex dump (first 32 bytes): 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 09 04 00 04 00 00 ................ 00 00 a7 81 00 00 0a c0 00 00 08 04 00 04 00 00 ................ backtrace (crc 177d48f6): __kmalloc_cache_noprof+0x520/0x730 xive_irq_alloc_data.constprop.0+0x40/0xe0 xive_irq_domain_alloc+0xd0/0x1b0 irq_domain_alloc_irqs_parent+0x44/0x6c pseries_irq_domain_alloc+0x1cc/0x354 irq_domain_alloc_irqs_parent+0x44/0x6c msi_domain_alloc+0xb0/0x220 irq_domain_alloc_irqs_locked+0x138/0x4d0 __irq_domain_alloc_irqs+0x8c/0xfc __msi_domain_alloc_irqs+0x214/0x4d8 msi_domain_alloc_irqs_all_locked+0x70/0xf8 pci_msi_setup_msi_irqs+0x60/0x78 __pci_enable_msix_range+0x54c/0x98c pci_alloc_irq_vectors_affinity+0x16c/0x1d4 nvme_pci_enable+0xac/0x9c0 [nvme] nvme_probe+0x340/0x764 [nvme] This occurs when allocating MSI-X vectors for an NVMe device. During allocation the XIVE code creates a struct xive_irq_data and stores it in irq_data->chip_data. When the MSI-X irqdomain is later freed, xive_irq_free_data() is responsible for retrieving this structure and freeing it. However, after commit cc0cc23babc9 ("powerpc/xive: Untangle xive from child interrupt controller drivers"), xive_irq_free_data() retrieves the chip_data using irq_get_chip_data(), which looks up the data through the child domain. This is incorrect because the XIVE-specific irq data is associated with the XIVE (parent) domain. As a result the lookup fails and the allocated struct xive_irq_data is never freed, leading to the kmemleak report shown above. Fix this by retrieving the irq_data from the correct domain using irq_domain_get_irq_data() and then accessing the chip_data via irq_data_get_irq_chip_data().
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)
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 matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | ≥ cc0cc23babc979e399f34f53e4bccf702a389558 and < 2546fb8c9acc8c7512ed4339ce2a982cb7407065≥ cc0cc23babc979e399f34f53e4bccf702a389558 and < e66ed135cdf23a318e9727dca48f98f7f6142f78≥ cc0cc23babc979e399f34f53e4bccf702a389558 and < 6771c54728c278bf1e4bfdab4fddbbb186e33498version 6.18 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 6.18 and < 6.18.30≥ 6.19 and < 7.0.7 | 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) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
CWE-401 · Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
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.
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
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 · → Undergoing Analysis
- 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
3 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 6h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 6h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98429 RDMA/efa: Keep EQ resources alive while IRQ is registered 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 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 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-2026-46141 is "powerpc/xive: fix kmemleak caused by incorrect chip_data lookup", 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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