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.
Advisories

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Fixes

Solution

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Workaround

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History

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description 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.
Title net: fix a resource leak in copy_net_ns() error handling path
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-09-17T16:05:56.226Z

Reserved: 2026-09-11T19:38:34.785Z

Link: CVE-2026-90077

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-09-17T17:16:56.930

Modified: 2026-09-17T17:16:56.930

Link: CVE-2026-90077

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.