Linux: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release
CVE-2026-45955 is a high-severity improper resource shutdown or release vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 095417d6b669c2dec39a5842ccb94df915f97f54, 2446d099350185caeed19ab2c0270451a97296fb, d119bd2e1643cc023210ff3c6f0657e4f914e71d as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.12% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to 095417d6b669c2dec39a5842ccb94df915f97f54 or 2446d099350185caeed19ab2c0270451a97296fb or d119bd2e1643cc023210ff3c6f0657e4f914e71d, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.18.14 or 6.19.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5ab829f1971dc99f2aac10846c378e67fc875abc up to, but not including, 095417d6b669c2dec39a5842ccb94df915f97f54; 5ab829f1971dc99f2aac10846c378e67fc875abc up to, but not including, 2446d099350185caeed19ab2c0270451a97296fb; 5ab829f1971dc99f2aac10846c378e67fc875abc up to, but not including, d119bd2e1643cc023210ff3c6f0657e4f914e71d; 6.18 | 095417d6b669c2dec39a5842ccb94df915f97f54, 2446d099350185caeed19ab2c0270451a97296fb, d119bd2e1643cc023210ff3c6f0657e4f914e71d |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.18 up to, but not including, 6.18.14; 6.19 up to, but not including, 6.19.4 | 6.18.14, 6.19.4 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: md/md-llbitmap: fix percpu_ref not resurrected on suspend timeout When llbitmap_suspend_timeout() times out waiting for percpu_ref to become zero, it returns -ETIMEDOUT without resurrecting the percpu_ref. The caller (md_llbitmap_daemon_fn) then continues to the next page without calling llbitmap_resume(), leaving the percpu_ref in a killed state permanently. Fix this by resurrecting the percpu_ref before returning the error, ensuring the page control structure remains usable for subsequent operations.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release
The product does not release or incorrectly releases a resource before it is made available for re-use.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, languages such as Java, Ruby, and Lisp perform automatic garbage collection that releases memory for objects that have been deallocated.
- It is good practice to be responsible for freeing all resources you allocate and to be consistent with how and where you free memory in a function. If you allocate memory that you intend to free upon completion of the function, you must be sure to free the memory at all exit points for that function including error conditions.
- Memory should be allocated/freed using matching functions such as malloc/free, new/delete, and new[]/delete[].
More Improper Resource Shutdown or Release vulnerabilities (CWE-404)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Improper Resource Shutdown or Release vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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