CVE-2026-99023 Linux CVE debrief

Who should care

Linux kernel developers and maintainers, Linux distribution maintainers, and users of Linux-based systems should assess exposure and verify that the fix is applied. They should review the patch notes and apply the fix according to their system's configuration and update procedures. Additionally, they should monitor their systems for any potential memory leak issues and verify that the consumers array is properly freed after use.

Why it matters

A memory leak vulnerability was found in the Linux kernel's power sequencing for PCIe M2. The of_regulator_bulk_get_all() function allocates a consumers array, which was not being freed, leading to a memory leak. This issue has been resolved with an explicit kfree() for the consumers array. Linux kernel developers and maintainers, Linux distribution maintainers, and users of Linux-based systems should assess exposure and verify that the fix is applied.

• Memory leak vulnerability can lead to potential denial-of-service (DoS) attacks
• Verification of fix application is necessary to prevent potential memory leak issues
• Monitoring for potential memory leak issues is recommended to ensure system stability

Technical summary

The Linux kernel's power sequencing for PCIe M2 has a memory leak vulnerability due to the of_regulator_bulk_get_all() function allocating a consumers array that was not being freed. This issue has been resolved with an explicit kfree() for the consumers array. The vulnerability was caused by a missing free operation for the consumers array, which could lead to memory leaks in affected systems. The fix involves adding an explicit kfree() call for the consumers array to prevent memory leaks. This change ensures that the allocated memory is properly released, mitigating the memory leak vulnerability.

Defensive priority

Medium

Recommended defensive actions

• Review and apply the patch for the memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's power sequencing for PCIe M2
• Verify that the fix is applied and the consumers array is properly freed
• Monitor for potential memory leak issues in the Linux kernel
• Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up
• Review the supplied official advisory or CVE record to validate affected scope, severity, and vendor guidance
• Plan vendor-supported updates or mitigations through normal change control where exposure is confirmed
• Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review

Evidence notes

The CVE record and source item provide details on the memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's power sequencing for PCIe M2. The issue was resolved with a fix that includes an explicit kfree() for the consumers array.

Sources and references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.