CVE-2026-80987 - Vulnerability Details

- NTB: ntb_transport: Reject oversized TX buffers

Description

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

NTB: ntb_transport: Reject oversized TX buffers

ntb_process_tx() handles an oversized buffer by calling tx_handler()
with a NULL data pointer and returning success. ntb_netdev therefore
neither frees the skb in its completion callback nor takes its enqueue
error path, leaking it.

Reject oversized buffers in ntb_transport_tx_enqueue() before acquiring
a queue entry and return -EMSGSIZE. The caller retains ownership of the
buffer, and the preceding netdev patch frees the skb when enqueue
returns this permanent error.

Published: 2026-09-11

Score: 7.5 High

EPSS: < 1% Very Low

KEV: No

Impact:

Action:

Analysis

Impact

The NTB transport driver in Linux fails to free a socket buffer (skb) when a buffer that is too large is enqueued. The function returns success after passing a null data pointer, causing the skb to remain allocated. This results in a memory leak. The vulnerability is specific to NTB transports used in non‑transparent bridge environments.

Affected Systems

Linux kernel implementations that include the NTB transport layer remain affected until the change that rejects oversized buffers in ntb_transport_tx_enqueue() is present. Any distribution’s kernel that has not yet applied the patch is susceptible.

Risk and Exploitability

CVSS score 4.4 indicates low‑to‑moderate severity. EPSS is not available, and the vulnerability is not listed in CISA a local attacker that can trigger the kernel driver with oversized buffers, causing kernel memory consumption to rise until exhaustion and potentially leading to a denial‑of‑service. Because the flaw does not grant code execution, the risk is primarily availability.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions

Linux

unaffected

Version	Status	Constraints
`fce8a7bb5b4bfb8a27324703fd5b002ee9247e90`	affected	< a7f22105a7df8c7fd74d0af27ace6fa94fe03d87
`fce8a7bb5b4bfb8a27324703fd5b002ee9247e90`	affected	< 6b6bbc6c878d64eacc60877df49fce7b1b6a08d0
`fce8a7bb5b4bfb8a27324703fd5b002ee9247e90`	affected	< 75a604e9f1cfdebda421062fdf42225ca32154cd
`fce8a7bb5b4bfb8a27324703fd5b002ee9247e90`	affected	< a4f2387db6f1cc2f03abba7f3a6807ad61e26ff7

Linux

affected

Version	Status	Constraints
`3.9`	affected	—
`0`	unaffected	< 3.9
`6.12.109`	unaffected	≤ 6.12.*
`6.18.50`	unaffected	≤ 6.18.*
`7.2.4`	unaffected	≤ 7.2.*
`7.3-rc1`	unaffected	≤ *

No data.

Vendor Product Confidence Versions

Linux

Linux Kernel

99%

Version	Status	Scheme	Platform
`[fce8a7bb5b4bfb8a27324703fd5b002ee9247e90,a7f22105a7df8c7fd74d0af27ace6fa94fe03d87)`	affected	code_commit	—
`[fce8a7bb5b4bfb8a27324703fd5b002ee9247e90,6b6bbc6c878d64eacc60877df49fce7b1b6a08d0)`	affected	code_commit	—
`[fce8a7bb5b4bfb8a27324703fd5b002ee9247e90,75a604e9f1cfdebda421062fdf42225ca32154cd)`	affected	code_commit	—
`[fce8a7bb5b4bfb8a27324703fd5b002ee9247e90,a4f2387db6f1cc2f03abba7f3a6807ad61e26ff7)`	affected	code_commit	—

Linux

Linux Kernel

99%

Version	Status	Scheme	Platform
`3.9`	affected	generic	—
`[0,3.9)`	unaffected	generic	—
`[6.12.109,7.0.0)`	unaffected	generic	—
`[6.18.50,6.19.0)`	unaffected	generic	—
`[7.2.4,7.3.0)`	unaffected	generic	—
`[7.3-rc1,*]`	unaffected	generic	—

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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

Upgrade Linux kernel to a version that implements NTB driver changes rejecting oversized buffers and releasing the skb
If the NTB driver is not required, unload or blacklist the ntb driver module to eliminate the vulnerable code path
Monitor kernel security advisories for the latest update and test the new kernel before deployment

Generated by OpenCVE AI on September 12, 2026 at 02:00 UTC.

Tracking

Sign in to view the affected projects.

Advisories

No advisories yet.

No CVSS v4.0

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact None

Availability Impact High

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

The EPSS score is 0.00168.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

References

Link	Providers
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b6bbc6c878d64eacc60877df49fce7b1b6a08d0
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/75a604e9f1cfdebda421062fdf42225ca32154cd
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a4f2387db6f1cc2f03abba7f3a6807ad61e26ff7
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a7f22105a7df8c7fd74d0af27ace6fa94fe03d87
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-80987
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-80987

History

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 06:45:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Metrics	cvssV3_1 `{'score': 4.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}`	cvssV3_1 `{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}`

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:15:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Weaknesses		CWE-772
References		https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-80987 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-80987
Metrics	threat_severity `None`	cvssV3_1 `{'score': 4.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}` threat_severity `Moderate`

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 23:45:00 +0000

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Description		In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: NTB: ntb_transport: Reject oversized TX buffers ntb_process_tx() handles an oversized buffer by calling tx_handler() with a NULL data pointer and returning success. ntb_netdev therefore neither frees the skb in its completion callback nor takes its enqueue error path, leaking it. Reject oversized buffers in ntb_transport_tx_enqueue() before acquiring a queue entry and return -EMSGSIZE. The caller retains ownership of the buffer, and the preceding netdev patch frees the skb when enqueue returns this permanent error.
Title		NTB: ntb_transport: Reject oversized TX buffers
First Time appeared		Linux Linux linux Kernel
CPEs		cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::
Vendors & Products		Linux Linux linux Kernel
References		https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b6bbc6c878d64eacc60877df49fce7b1b6a08d0 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/75a604e9f1cfdebda421062fdf42225ca32154cd https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a4f2387db6f1cc2f03abba7f3a6807ad61e26ff7 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a7f22105a7df8c7fd74d0af27ace6fa94fe03d87

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel

MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published: 2026-09-11T19:42:45.574Z

Updated: 2026-09-13T06:28:52.643Z

Reserved: 2026-08-26T14:34:25.811Z

Link: CVE-2026-80987

Vulnrichment

No data.

NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-09-11T20:19:05.353

Modified: 2026-09-11T20:19:05.353

Link: CVE-2026-80987

Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2026-09-11T19:42:45Z

Links: CVE-2026-80987 - Bugzilla

OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-09-12T03:45:07Z

Weaknesses

CWE-772
Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime

Impact

Affected Systems

Risk and Exploitability

Tracking

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact None

Availability Impact High

User Interaction None

Subscriptions

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