CVE-2026-23032

null_blk: fix kmemleak by releasing references to fault configfs items

Published Jan 31, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

null_blk: fix kmemleak by releasing references to fault configfs items

When CONFIG_BLK_DEV_NULL_BLK_FAULT_INJECTION is enabled, the null-blk
driver sets up fault injection support by creating the timeout_inject,
requeue_inject, and init_hctx_fault_inject 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 init_hctx_fault_
69 6e 6a 65 63 74 00 88 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 inject..........
backtrace (crc 1a018c86):
__kmalloc_node_track_caller_noprof+0x494/0xbd8
kvasprintf+0x74/0xf4
config_item_set_name+0xf0/0x104
config_group_init_type_name+0x48/0xfc
fault_config_init+0x48/0xf0
0xc0080000180559e4
configfs_mkdir+0x304/0x814
vfs_mkdir+0x49c/0x604
do_mkdirat+0x314/0x3d0
sys_mkdir+0xa0/0xd8
system_call_exception+0x1b0/0x4f0
system_call_vectored_common+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.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6126-1 linux security update
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8278-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8289-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8296-1 Linux kernel (FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8296-2 Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8278-2 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8440-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8499-1 Linux kernel (Xilinx) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8570-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8594-1 Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8604-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8605-1 Linux kernel (Azure CVM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8570-2 Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8289-2 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8393-1 Linux kernel (Azure FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8669-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-400
Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Low

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: null_blk: fix kmemleak by releasing references to fault configfs items When CONFIG_BLK_DEV_NULL_BLK_FAULT_INJECTION is enabled, the null-blk driver sets up fault injection support by creating the timeout_inject, requeue_inject, and init_hctx_fault_inject 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 init_hctx_fault_ 69 6e 6a 65 63 74 00 88 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 inject.......... backtrace (crc 1a018c86): __kmalloc_node_track_caller_noprof+0x494/0xbd8 kvasprintf+0x74/0xf4 config_item_set_name+0xf0/0x104 config_group_init_type_name+0x48/0xfc fault_config_init+0x48/0xf0 0xc0080000180559e4 configfs_mkdir+0x304/0x814 vfs_mkdir+0x49c/0x604 do_mkdirat+0x314/0x3d0 sys_mkdir+0xa0/0xd8 system_call_exception+0x1b0/0x4f0 system_call_vectored_common+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.
Title null_blk: fix kmemleak by releasing references to fault configfs items
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Jun 2, 2026, 1:00 PM
Reserved
Jan 13, 2026, 3:37 PM
Status
Deferred
Published
Jan 31, 2026, 12:16 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 10:20 AM
Severity
Low
Public date
Jan 31, 2026, 12:00 AM