---
id: "CVE-2026-98831"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-98831"]
title: "Linux kernel: device tree overlay setup leaks references on failure"
severity: "unknown"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["device-tree", "embedded", "infrastructure", "linux-kernel"]
not_affected_if: ["no-dt-overlays"]
published_at: "2026-10-18T16:17:37+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:17+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T05:13:20+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98831", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:17+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel: device tree overlay setup leaks references on failure

When applying a device tree overlay to the Linux kernel fails partway through, references taken on already-initialized fragments are never released. The sources describe a resource leak, not a code execution path.

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

## How to check

- unknown

## Fix

- Update to a Linux kernel release that includes the upstream commit resolving CVE-2026-98831 (fixed version unknown from sources)

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:17+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98831

## From the sources

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

of/overlay: don't leak fragment references when changeset init fails

init_overlay_changeset() stores the number of initialized fragments
in ovcs->count only on full success. When find_target() or the
__symbols__ lookup fails partway through, the target and overlay
references taken for the fragments initialized so far are never
dropped: free_overlay_changeset() bounds its cleanup loop by
ovcs->count, which is still 0.

Store the running count on the error path so free_overlay_changeset()
puts whatever was set up. The store is guarded by ovcs->fragments
because on the allocation-failure path cnt still holds the counting
pass total while there is no fragments array; everywhere else cnt
only counts fully-initialized fragments.

---

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