# CVE-2026-23258: linux: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:  net: liquidio: Initialize netdev pointer before...

CVE-2026-23258 is fixed in linux on 1 platform, first by DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23258, released March 18, 2026. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: Routine.

- Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-23258
- Priority: Routine
- CVSS: 5.5 (medium)
- EPSS: 0.0012
- CISA KEV: not listed
- Exploited (vendor report): no
- Publicly disclosed: no
- Published: Mar 18, 2026

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:  net: liquidio: Initialize netdev pointer before queue setup  In setup_nic_devices(), the netdev is allocated using alloc_etherdev_mq(). However, the pointer to this structure is stored in oct->props[i].netdev only after the calls to netif_set_real_num_rx_queues() and netif_set_real_num_tx_queues().  If either of these functions fails, setup_nic_devices() returns an error without freeing the allocated netdev. Since oct->props[i].netdev is still NULL at this point, the cleanup function liquidio_destroy_nic_device() will fail to find and free the netdev, resulting in a memory leak.  Fix this by initializing oct->props[i].netdev before calling the queue setup functions. This ensures that the netdev is properly accessible for cleanup in case of errors.  Compile tested only. Issue found using a prototype static analysis tool and code review.

## Where it's fixed

| Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | linux Debian 12.15 (bookworm) | 6.1.164-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23258](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2026-23258.md) | Mar 18, 2026 |
| Linux | linux Debian 13.5 (trixie) | 6.12.73-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23258](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2026-23258.md) | Mar 18, 2026 |
| Linux | linux Debian 14 | 6.18.10-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23258](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2026-23258.md) | Mar 18, 2026 |

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Data as of 2026-11-08T13:06:02Z UTC. Source: Patchblox Patch Radar (https://patchblox.com/security/patch-radar). Patchblox finds out-of-date software on Windows, macOS and Linux and updates it through release rings: https://patchblox.com/demo

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