CVE-2026-72006

net/mlx5: free mlx5_st_idx_data on final dealloc

Published Aug 15, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net/mlx5: free mlx5_st_idx_data on final dealloc

Workloads that repeatedly allocate and release mkeys carrying TPH
steering-tag hints (e.g. churning RDMA MRs) leak one
struct mlx5_st_idx_data per cycle; kmemleak flags it as unreferenced
and the kmalloc slab grows over time.

When the last reference to an ST table entry is dropped,
mlx5_st_dealloc_index() removed the entry from idx_xa but the backing
mlx5_st_idx_data allocation was never freed.

Free idx_data after the xa_erase() so the lifetime of the bookkeeping
struct matches the lifetime of the ST entry it tracks.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8887-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8888-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8889-1 Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8887-2 Linux kernel (AWS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8888-2 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8887-3 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9003-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9043-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-772
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

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mlx5: free mlx5_st_idx_data on final dealloc Workloads that repeatedly allocate and release mkeys carrying TPH steering-tag hints (e.g. churning RDMA MRs) leak one struct mlx5_st_idx_data per cycle; kmemleak flags it as unreferenced and the kmalloc slab grows over time. When the last reference to an ST table entry is dropped, mlx5_st_dealloc_index() removed the entry from idx_xa but the backing mlx5_st_idx_data allocation was never freed. Free idx_data after the xa_erase() so the lifetime of the bookkeeping struct matches the lifetime of the ST entry it tracks.
Title net/mlx5: free mlx5_st_idx_data on final dealloc
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
Aug 17, 2026, 5:06 AM
Reserved
Aug 9, 2026, 3:40 AM
Status
Received
Published
Aug 15, 2026, 6:20 AM
Modified
Aug 17, 2026, 6:17 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Aug 15, 2026, 12:00 AM