CVE-2026-74718 devlink: fix net namespace reference leak in reload
A missing reference release in the Linux kernel devlink reload path allows local attackers to cause a net namespace reference leak, potentially leading to denial of service.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- An administrator
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-74718?
CVE-2026-74718 is a denial of service vulnerability in Linux, published on 22 Aug 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
devlink: fix net namespace reference leak in reload
devlink_nl_reload_doit() calls devlink_netns_get(), which returns a net with a held reference. When the requested namespace differs from the current one and the reload action is not DRIVER_REINIT, the function returns -EOPNOTSUPP without releasing the reference. Add the missing put_net() on this error path.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-74718?
How do I fix CVE-2026-74718?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade, then put limits on request size, rate and nesting depth so one client cannot exhaust the service. More about Denial of service.
Is CVE-2026-74718 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-74718 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-97322, BELL-CVE-2026-74718, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-74718, GHSA-67hf-fh94-4rj7, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-74718.