CVE-2026-53355

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Reliable Datagram Sockets (RDS) over InfiniBand (IB) connection teardown process. When the rds_ib_setup_qp() function fails to set up a connection, it may free a memory allocation (i_sends) without properly clearing the associated pointer. This can lead to a stale pointer being used in a subsequent shutdown operation, potentially causing incorrect memory access and system instability or a denial of service.

This vulnerability is rated as Moderate severity rather than Important because successful exploitation requires access to systems configured with InfiniBand hardware and depends on a specific error condition during connection initialization. Reliable Datagram Sockets (RDS) are not active by default in standard Red Hat Enterprise Linux environments, significantly limiting exposure. An attacker must have local access and the capability to create network sockets to induce the teardown failure, restricting the primary impact to local system instability or denial of service.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options don't meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.