---
id: "CVE-2026-98514"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-98514"]
title: "Linux kernel: nouveau GPU driver leaks GEM object references on errors"
severity: "unknown"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["infrastructure", "kernel", "linux", "nouveau", "nvidia-gpu"]
not_affected_if: ["no-nvidia-gpu", "nouveau-driver-not-loaded"]
published_at: "2026-10-18T16:17:02+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T05:25:18+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98514", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel: nouveau GPU driver leaks GEM object references on errors

In the Linux kernel's nouveau DRM driver, two error paths in validate_init() break out of the loop without releasing the GEM object reference taken by drm_gem_object_lookup(). The leak means memory for those objects is never freed, which can exhaust resources over time.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- unknown

## Fix

- unknown

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98514

## From the sources

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

drm/nouveau: Fix gem reference leak in validate_init()

On the ttm_bo_reserve() failure and "vma not found" error paths, the
loop breaks without adding the looked-up object to any validate list,
so the reference taken by drm_gem_object_lookup() is never released;
validate_fini() only walks the spliced lists.  Drop the reference
before breaking out on both paths.

---

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