Bug 2536458 (CVE-2026-90077)

Summary:	CVE-2026-90077 kernel: net: fix a resource leak in copy_net_ns() error handling path
Product:	[Other] Security Response	Reporter:	OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component:	vulnerability	Assignee:	Product Security DevOps Team <prodsec-dev>
Status:	NEW ---	QA Contact:
Severity:	low	Docs Contact:
Priority:	low
Version:	unspecified	CC:	akhatavk, aos-team-art-private, asdas, dpaolell, jdelft, jupierce, lgarciaa, mbiarnes, ppalepu, ppostler, prdhamdh, rhel-process-autobot, sghai, sidsharm, suppawar, vlaad, watson-tool-maintainers
Target Milestone:	---	Keywords:	Security
Target Release:	---
Hardware:	All
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:
Fixed In Version:		Doc Type:	---
Doc Text:	A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's network (net) subsystem. An issue in the `copy_net_ns()` error handling path allows for resources allocated during network namespace creation to leak. This occurs because the `preinit_net()` function returns prematurely, preventing proper resource deallocation. A local attacker could exploit this resource leak to cause a denial of service (DoS) on the system.	Story Points:	---
Clone Of:		Environment:
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Regression:	---	Mount Type:	---
Documentation:	---	CRM:
Verified Versions:		Category:	---
oVirt Team:	---	RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team:	---	Target Upstream Version:
Embargoed:

Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-09-17 18:01:45 UTC

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net: fix a resource leak in copy_net_ns() error handling path

Currently, preinit_net() does two things:

  (1) call ns_common_init() which might fail
  (2) initialize resources which does not fail

However, preinit_net() is returning early when (1) fails, and copy_net_ns()
is jumping to the dec_ucounts: label. As a result, resources allocated by
net_alloc() are leaking. We need to call key_remove_domain() and
net_passive_dec() in order to release resources allocated by net_alloc().

We cannot simply jump to the put_userns: label when preinit_net() failed,
for (2) is not yet done. But we can reorder (1) and (2), for there is no
dependency between (1) and (2). Therefore, this patch decouples (1) from
preinit_net() and changes preinit_net() back to a void function, and calls
ns_common_init() after preinit_net() succeeded. Then, we can jump to
immediately after ns_common_free() of the put_userns: label.

Comment 1 Keith Grant 2026-09-22 18:03:16 UTC

Upstream advisory:
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-90077.mbox