The Linux kernel’s BPF subsystem contains a flaw that allows objects slated for deletion to become trapped in a free list when certain Read‑Copy‑Update (RCU) tracing conditions are met. The logic that clears the list does not handle all cases, so the number of stuck objects is not bounded. This can result in an increase in kernel memory usage over time. The vulnerability is identified as a resource‑exhaustion weakness (CWE-772).

All Linux kernel releases that lack the fix are affected; the issue resides in the BPF memory allocation and deallocation path within the kernel. Systems using BPF maps or hash objects that are frequently created and destroyed before the patch commit are susceptible.

The CVSS score of 4.4 indicates moderate severity. The EPSS score of less than 1% suggests a low probability of exploitation in the wild at present, and the vulnerability is not listed in CISA’s KEV catalog. The likely attack vector is local: an attacker with the ability to perform BPF operations can trigger the bug by creating and deleting BPF objects, thereby adding more items to the stuck free list. The impact, as described, could be increased memory consumption; no explicit statement of kernel panic or severe performance degradation is provided in the data.