CVE-2026-97616: Linux kernel · net/sched: act_api: release all action references on NEWACTION failure
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · fixed in f908c8a969946a45225fd7f9d9a85771e12ae0a8 : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 30 Oct 2026, 17:20 UTC
Rated Medium by Threat Radar's AI analysis · CVSS not yet scored by NVD
Thin evidence
One scorer or none- Patch
- Available – fixed in f908c8a969946a45225fd7f9d9a85771e12ae0a8, e469765708b1afa9b9565dbafca09e22ec4edfa7, b7133be1faa35b38f68d78a9f950f1dddf3eb8e5 +5
Exploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 25 Sep 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 30 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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AI-suggested
A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel to address this issue by changing the cleanup logic to properly release all action references on failure. Users should update to the fixed kernel version once available. No other mitigation or workaround is indicated.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's network scheduler (net/sched) action API was resolved. The flaw involves improper release of action references when a batched RTM_NEWACTION request fails to initialize an action. This leads to a resource leak where temporary references and IDR slots are not properly released, preventing reuse of indexes and potentially causing resource exhaustion.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97616 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/048617743febf6530111cfb594e9bbbd7918bf67 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1b5730a1c7def8993b3feba764008d1ff5c9dcea (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/478eb5abb51931a152abab068f8a717b7ff480fd (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/64b36eaef6ea5ada9aea4c2cf87099aaa8a4869b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7133be1faa35b38f68d78a9f950f1dddf3eb8e5 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b83a51a83e85411c050c7b16cdc43b331c6565be (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e469765708b1afa9b9565dbafca09e22ec4edfa7 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f908c8a969946a45225fd7f9d9a85771e12ae0a8 (opens in a new tab)