CVE-2026-23360

What it actually does

Memory leak of NVMe admin queue structures occurs on controller reset when nvme_alloc_admin_tag_set allocates a new queue without releasing a prior one, leading to orphaned resources and eventual exhaustion.

Why it matters to the business

Systems using NVMe storage may experience gradual memory depletion and availability loss during repeated controller resets, increasing operational risk on servers and devices with high reset frequency; low exploit likelihood limits immediate urgency.

How an attack unfolds

A local attacker with the ability to trigger NVMe controller resets (via device manipulation or fault injection) repeatedly invokes the reset path, causing incremental leaks of admin queue memory until the system becomes unstable or crashes.

How to fix it

Update the Linux kernel to a version containing the fix for the admin queue lifetime regression; monitor for backports to distribution kernels since no fixed versions are specified in the advisory.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm kernel version includes the referenced commit resolving the admin queue release before allocation; inspect NVMe reset paths in source for proper tag set handling and test repeated reset scenarios for memory stability.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local access on a Linux system with NVMe devices
2. Trigger repeated NVMe controller resets through device interface or error conditions
3. Accumulate leaked admin queue memory across reset cycles
4. Cause resource exhaustion leading to denial of service

How to detect it

Review kernel logs and memory usage metrics around NVMe controller reset events for signs of unexpected queue allocation without corresponding release; correlate with dmesg or /proc/meminfo for leak indicators over time.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize kernel updates on NVMe-equipped systems to address the memory leak
• Monitor EPSS trend for any increase in exploit probability
• Limit local untrusted access where possible to reduce reset trigger surface