# CVE-2026-97922: Linux kernel memory leak in tracing histogram variable references

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97922-in-the-linux-kernel-the-following-vulnerability-has-been-resolved  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-25. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-97922 · Severity: info · Published 2026-09-25

The Linux kernel's event tracing subsystem contains a memory leak in the histogram trigger feature. When using the same variable three or more times in a histogram trigger and then removing the trigger, the kernel fails to properly free the variable references and their associated string data, causing memory to leak.

Technologies: [Unknown Linux kernel](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/unknown-linux-kernel). Vendors: [Unknown](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/unknown).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-97922 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-97922 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-97922?** Informational severity, published 25 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Unknown Linux kernel affected versions across stable kernels including 4.x, 5.x, 6.x, and 7.x.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-97922?** A patch was published on 2026-09-11: Upstream fix commit 4bddcb346a6cf4615ca77f69a589623b877ca267 signed by Steven Rostedt Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-97922 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in an operating system.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-97922?** Check whether you run Unknown Linux kernel at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A reference counting logic error in the tracing histogram code causes premature return from the destroy function when decrementing a reference count. The vulnerable code in kernel/trace/trace_events_hist.c incorrectly frees histogram variable references only when the count reaches 0 or 1, allowing references with counts of 2 or higher to leak. This affects only the kernel's internal tracing subsystem when histogram triggers with repeated variable references are created and destroyed.

## Affected products

- <UNKNOWN> Linux kernel affected versions across stable kernels including 4.x, 5.x, 6.x, and 7.x

## Timeline

- 2026-09-25: disclosed: Published in NVD
- 2026-09-11: patched: Upstream fix commit 4bddcb346a6cf4615ca77f69a589623b877ca267 signed by Steven Rostedt

## References

- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4bddcb346a6cf4615ca77f69a589623b877ca267](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4bddcb346a6cf4615ca77f69a589623b877ca267)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4cff53bb19412c6f2d90b50678de5c3903f7f96a](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4cff53bb19412c6f2d90b50678de5c3903f7f96a)

## Related threats

- [Linux kernel netfilter nft_byteorder multi-register bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-99285-in-the-linux-kernel-the-following-vulnerability-has-been-resolved)
- [Linux kernel GPIO null pointer dereference in shared GPIO lookup](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-99257-in-the-linux-kernel-the-following-vulnerability-has-been-resolved)
- [Linux kernel NTFS race condition in page fault handler](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-99241-in-the-linux-kernel-the-following-vulnerability-has-been-resolved)
- [Linux kernel i915 DMC firmware load address validation bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-99146-in-the-linux-kernel-the-following-vulnerability-has-been-resolved)
- [Linux kernel dm-integrity buffer overflow in inline mode](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-99098-in-the-linux-kernel-the-following-vulnerability-has-been-resolved)