The atlantic network driver in the Linux kernel contains a silent memory leak that occurs when an interface is brought down while TX or XDP_TX traffic is active. Stranded transmit descriptors keep references to skbs or XDP frames, preventing these objects from being freed. The resulting page_pool remains inflated, producing a warning “page_pool_release_retry() stalled pool shutdown” every 60 seconds. Although the CVE description does not mention a crash, it is reasonable to infer that unchecked memory growth could eventually exhaust kernel resources and lead to a system reboot or kernel panic, thus causing denial of service.

All Linux kernels that ship the atlantic network driver are potentially impacted. No specific version range is provided in the CVE data, so any kernel build that includes the code change referenced in the patch notes—and that has removed the original aq_ring_tx_deinit logic—could experience the leak. System administrators should audit the kernel release notes for the atlantic driver and any patch that restores the deinitialisation path.

The CVSS score of 5.5 indicates a moderate severity. The EPSS score of <1 % shows a low probability of exploitation. The vulnerability is not listed in CISA’s KEV catalog. To exploit, an attacker needs the ability to bring an interface down while a high TX/XDP_TX load is present, which generally requires elevated system privileges or remote control of network activity. Because the issue only induces a memory leak and does not provide code execution, the overall risk is lower than for RCE flaws, but repeated exploitation could accumulate memory pressure, potentially resulting in a denial‑of-service condition.