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

virtio: fix use-after-free in unregister_virtio_device()

device_unregister() is device_del() plus put_device(). When the caller
holds no extra reference, that drops the last one and runs the release
callback, which for several transports frees the memory the embedded
struct virtio_device sits in. unregister_virtio_device() then calls
virtio_debug_device_exit(), which reads dev->debugfs_dir out of the freed
object.

Affected transports are the ones whose release callback frees and whose
remove path takes no reference: virtio_mmio, virtio_vdpa, virtio_uml,
mlxbf-tmfifo and virtio_ccw. virtio_pci is unaffected because
virtio_pci_remove() brackets the call with get_device() and put_device().

Remove the debugfs entries before the device can go away. They are only
accessed through the protected debugfs interface, so
debugfs_remove_recursive() waits for in-progress file operations before
returning. Tearing them down while the device is still alive is therefore
safe.

Reproduced on User-Mode Linux with CONFIG_KASAN and CONFIG_VIRTIO_DEBUG
by unbinding a virtio-uml device:

BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in virtio_debug_device_exit+0x36/0x4d
Read of size 8 at addr 00000000616e0b10 by task init/1
__asan_report_load8_noabort
virtio_debug_device_exit+0x36/0x4d
unregister_virtio_device+0x48/0x75
virtio_uml_remove
platform_remove
device_release_driver_internal
unbind_store

Freed by task 1:
kfree
virtio_uml_release_dev
device_release
kobject_put
put_device
device_unregister

With this applied, the report is gone and unbind is clean.

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4817-1 linux-6.12 security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6528-1 linux security update
Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 04:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 12:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-825
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate


Fri, 25 Sep 2026 15:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: virtio: fix use-after-free in unregister_virtio_device() device_unregister() is device_del() plus put_device(). When the caller holds no extra reference, that drops the last one and runs the release callback, which for several transports frees the memory the embedded struct virtio_device sits in. unregister_virtio_device() then calls virtio_debug_device_exit(), which reads dev->debugfs_dir out of the freed object. Affected transports are the ones whose release callback frees and whose remove path takes no reference: virtio_mmio, virtio_vdpa, virtio_uml, mlxbf-tmfifo and virtio_ccw. virtio_pci is unaffected because virtio_pci_remove() brackets the call with get_device() and put_device(). Remove the debugfs entries before the device can go away. They are only accessed through the protected debugfs interface, so debugfs_remove_recursive() waits for in-progress file operations before returning. Tearing them down while the device is still alive is therefore safe. Reproduced on User-Mode Linux with CONFIG_KASAN and CONFIG_VIRTIO_DEBUG by unbinding a virtio-uml device: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in virtio_debug_device_exit+0x36/0x4d Read of size 8 at addr 00000000616e0b10 by task init/1 __asan_report_load8_noabort virtio_debug_device_exit+0x36/0x4d unregister_virtio_device+0x48/0x75 virtio_uml_remove platform_remove device_release_driver_internal unbind_store Freed by task 1: kfree virtio_uml_release_dev device_release kobject_put put_device device_unregister With this applied, the report is gone and unbind is clean.
Title virtio: fix use-after-free in unregister_virtio_device()
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-10-19T09:12:03.153Z

Reserved: 2026-09-25T10:18:58.209Z

Link: CVE-2026-97996

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-09-25T11:17:27.880

Modified: 2026-10-19T10:17:51.080

Link: CVE-2026-97996

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2026-09-25T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2026-97996 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-10-01T06:00:13Z

Weaknesses