---
id: "CVE-2026-98516"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-98516"]
title: "Linux kernel: nouveau driver leaks a PCI device reference"
severity: "unknown"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["infrastructure", "linux-kernel", "nouveau", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["no-nouveau-driver"]
published_at: "2026-10-18T16:17:02+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T05:25:17+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98516", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel: nouveau driver leaks a PCI device reference

In the Linux kernel's nouveau GPU driver, a PCI device reference taken while reading memory size is never released, leaking a reference count. The sources describe a reference leak only and do not state an attacker outcome.

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

## How to check

- unknown

## Fix

- Update the Linux kernel to a release that includes the upstream fix for drm/nouveau nv1a_ram_new(); the fixed version is unknown from the sources.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:15+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98516

## From the sources

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

drm/nouveau: Fix bridge reference leak in nv1a_ram_new()

pci_get_domain_bus_and_slot() takes a reference to the PCI device,
which is never released once the memory size has been read from its
config space.  Drop the reference before returning.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_