How severe is CVE-2026-53261?

CVE-2026-53261 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2026-53261 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (6th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-53261?

CVE-2026-53261 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 7 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2026-53261?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

Does CVE-2026-53261 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2026-53261 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-39212.

When was CVE-2026-53261 published?

CVE-2026-53261 was published on 2026-06-25 and last updated on 2026-07-08.

CVE-2026-53261

CVE-2026-53261 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-401.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (6th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2026-39212
Weakness: CWE-401
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2026-06-25
Last modified: 2026-07-08

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: devlink: Release nested relation on devlink free devlink relation state is normally released from devl_unregister(), which calls devlink_rel_put(). This misses devlink instances that get a nested relation before registration and then fail probe before devl_register() is reached. That flow can happen for SFs. The child devlink gets linked to its parent before registration, then a later probe error calls devlink_free() directly. Since the instance was never registered, devl_unregister() is not called and devlink->rel is leaked. Release any pending relation from devlink_free() as well. The registered path is unchanged because devl_unregister() already clears devlink->rel before devlink_free() runs.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-53261?: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: devlink: Release nested relation on devlink free devlink relation state is normally released from devl_unregister(), which calls devlink_rel_put(). This misses devlink instances that get a nested relation before registration and then fail probe before devl_register() is reached. That flow can happen for SFs. The child devlink gets linked to its parent before registration, then a later probe error calls devlink_free() directly. Since the instance was never registered, devl_unregister() is not called and devlink->rel is leaked. Release any pending relation from devlink_free() as well. The registered path is unchanged because devl_unregister() already clears devlink->rel before devlink_free() runs.
How severe is CVE-2026-53261?: CVE-2026-53261 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-53261 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (6th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-53261?: CVE-2026-53261 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 7 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-53261?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2026-53261 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2026-53261 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-39212.
When was CVE-2026-53261 published?: CVE-2026-53261 was published on 2026-06-25 and last updated on 2026-07-08.

References

Affected products (7)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.1:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*

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