CVE-2026-31726 — usb: gadget: uvc: fix NULL pointer dereference during unbind race
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: gadget: uvc: fix NULL pointer dereference during unbind race Commit b81ac4395bbe ("usb: gadget: uvc: allow for application to cleanly shutdown") introduced two stages of synchronization waits totaling 1500ms in uvc_function_unbind() to prevent several types of kernel panics. However, this timing-based approach is insufficient during power management (PM) transitions. When the PM subsystem starts freezing user space processes, the wait_event_interruptible_timeout() is aborted early, which allows the unbind thread to proceed and nullify the gadget pointer (cdev->gadget = NULL): [ 814.123447][ T947] configfs-gadget.g1 gadget.0: uvc: uvc_function_unbind() [ 814.178583][ T3173] PM: suspend entry (deep) [ 814.192487][ T3173] Freezing user space processes [ 814.197668][ T947] configfs-gadget.g1 gadget.0: uvc: uvc_function_unbind no clean disconnect, wait for release When the PM subsystem resumes or aborts the suspend and tasks are restarted, the V4L2 release path is executed and attempts to access the already nullified gadget pointer, triggering a kernel panic: [ 814.292597][ C0] PM: pm_system_irq_wakeup: 479 triggered dhdpcie_host_wake [ 814.386727][ T3173] Restarting tasks ... [ 814.403522][ T4558] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000030 [ 814.404021][ T4558] pc : usb_gadget_deactivate+0x14/0xf4 [ 814.404031][ T4558] lr : usb_function_deactivate+0x54/0x94 [ 814.404078][ T4558] Call trace: [ 814.404080][ T4558] usb_gadget_deactivate+0x14/0xf4 [ 814.404083][ T4558] usb_function_deactivate+0x54/0x94 [ 814.404087][ T4558] uvc_function_disconnect+0x1c/0x5c [ 814.404092][ T4558] uvc_v4l2_release+0x44/0xac [ 814.404095][ T4558] v4l2_release+0xcc/0x130 Address the race condition and NULL pointer dereference by: 1. State Synchronization (flag + mutex) Introduce a 'func_unbound' flag in struct uvc_device. This allows uvc_function_disconnect() to safely skip accessing the nullified cdev->gadget pointer. As suggested by Alan Stern, this flag is protected by a new mutex (uvc->lock) to ensure proper memory ordering and prevent instruction reordering or speculative loads. This mutex is also used to protect 'func_connected' for consistent state management. 2. Explicit Synchronization (completion) Use a completion to synchronize uvc_function_unbind() with the uvc_vdev_release() callback. This prevents Use-After-Free (UAF) by ensuring struct uvc_device is freed after all video device resources are released.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
≥ 1444e0568bc2c70868e7b8da5b46fc2252acc3f5 and < 0c00ec409d7b2bce3fcac73188b79a141db7cfdaversion 5.18≥ 5.17.9 and < 5.18≥ 5.15.41 and < 5.15.203≥ 5.10.117 and < 5.10.253version e10735ce87502b07e171727e574afdd6c0890a08≥ b81ac4395bbeaf36e078dea1a48c02dd97b76235 and < eba2936bbe6b752a31725a9eb5c674ecbf21ee7d≥ b81ac4395bbeaf36e078dea1a48c02dd97b76235 and < c038ba56b92e410d1caec22b2dc68780a0b42091 and 5 more≥ b81ac4395bbeaf36e078dea1a48c02dd97b76235 and < 1aa9356881ee4ed414bf72d0c56d915492cb5345≥ b81ac4395bbeaf36e078dea1a48c02dd97b76235 and < 8a1128d604c360eca135f15b882b70256a522145≥ b81ac4395bbeaf36e078dea1a48c02dd97b76235 and < c78e463ee134b4669579d453c81ae00795e4c19a≥ b81ac4395bbeaf36e078dea1a48c02dd97b76235 and < 0587de744615628c38e33ddc1601160a5ea8c50a≥ 4962e5a2f301d24953f17d6748d986e21566abe1 and < d92d1532e05b1b31d36d48765e43bf73d793d19f |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel |
≥ 5.10.117 and < 5.10.253version 7.0-rc6version 7.0-rc5version 7.0-rc4version 7.0-rc3version 7.0-rc2version 7.0-rc1≥ 6.19 and < 6.19.12 and 5 more≥ 6.13 and < 6.18.22≥ 6.7 and < 6.12.81≥ 6.2 and < 6.6.134≥ 5.18 and < 6.1.168≥ 5.15.41 and < 5.15.203 |
Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.8 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.16%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 5.5
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
8 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0c00ec409d7b2bce3fcac73188b79a141db7cfda
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0587de744615628c38e33ddc1601160a5ea8c50a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d92d1532e05b1b31d36d48765e43bf73d793d19f
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c78e463ee134b4669579d453c81ae00795e4c19a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1aa9356881ee4ed414bf72d0c56d915492cb5345
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/eba2936bbe6b752a31725a9eb5c674ecbf21ee7d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c038ba56b92e410d1caec22b2dc68780a0b42091
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a1128d604c360eca135f15b882b70256a522145
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 10h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 10h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98431 RDMA/uverbs: Fix mmap_lock/disassociation_lock circular dependency 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98430 RDMA/efa: Keep admin queues alive while IRQ is registered 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98429 RDMA/efa: Keep EQ resources alive while IRQ is registered 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98428 ALSA: usb: 6fire: Avoid embedded URBs 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-31726 is "usb: gadget: uvc: fix NULL pointer dereference during unbind race", rated Medium. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.16% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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