CVE-2026-31731 — thermal: core: Address thermal zone removal races with resume
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: thermal: core: Address thermal zone removal races with resume Since thermal_zone_pm_complete() and thermal_zone_device_resume() re-initialize the poll_queue delayed work for the given thermal zone, the cancel_delayed_work_sync() in thermal_zone_device_unregister() may miss some already running work items and the thermal zone may be freed prematurely [1]. There are two failing scenarios that both start with running thermal_pm_notify_complete() right before invoking thermal_zone_device_unregister() for one of the thermal zones. In the first scenario, there is a work item already running for the given thermal zone when thermal_pm_notify_complete() calls thermal_zone_pm_complete() for that thermal zone and it continues to run when thermal_zone_device_unregister() starts. Since the poll_queue delayed work has been re-initialized by thermal_pm_notify_complete(), the running work item will be missed by the cancel_delayed_work_sync() in thermal_zone_device_unregister() and if it continues to run past the freeing of the thermal zone object, a use-after-free will occur. In the second scenario, thermal_zone_device_resume() queued up by thermal_pm_notify_complete() runs right after the thermal_zone_exit() called by thermal_zone_device_unregister() has returned. The poll_queue delayed work is re-initialized by it before cancel_delayed_work_sync() is called by thermal_zone_device_unregister(), so it may continue to run after the freeing of the thermal zone object, which also leads to a use-after-free. Address the first failing scenario by ensuring that no thermal work items will be running when thermal_pm_notify_complete() is called. For this purpose, first move the cancel_delayed_work() call from thermal_zone_pm_complete() to thermal_zone_pm_prepare() to prevent new work from entering the workqueue going forward. Next, switch over to using a dedicated workqueue for thermal events and update the code in thermal_pm_notify() to flush that workqueue after thermal_pm_notify_prepare() has returned which will take care of all leftover thermal work already on the workqueue (that leftover work would do nothing useful anyway because all of the thermal zones have been flagged as suspended). The second failing scenario is addressed by adding a tz->state check to thermal_zone_device_resume() to prevent it from re-initializing the poll_queue delayed work if the thermal zone is going away. Note that the above changes will also facilitate relocating the suspend and resume of thermal zones closer to the suspend and resume of devices, respectively.
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 (high)+6
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)
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 | ≥ 5a5efdaffda5d23717d9117cf36cda9eafcf2fae and < 1a6d2b001eb730d85f00da39ae7db6f3b4edc540≥ 5a5efdaffda5d23717d9117cf36cda9eafcf2fae and < 2dbe93f344f10b432b95a23304006be805c097a1≥ 5a5efdaffda5d23717d9117cf36cda9eafcf2fae and < c4593f1654f7dea3bcf9bb1851ded86311d4f370≥ 5a5efdaffda5d23717d9117cf36cda9eafcf2fae and < 45b859b0728267a6199ee5002d62e6c6f3e8c89dversion 6.8 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel |
≥ 6.8 and < 6.12.83≥ 6.13 and < 6.18.22≥ 6.19 and < 6.19.12version 7.0-rc1version 7.0-rc2version 7.0-rc3version 7.0-rc4version 7.0-rc5 and 1 moreversion 7.0-rc6 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 0.17%
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 · 7.8
- Source status changed · → Modified
- 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
4 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 12h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 12h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 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-2026-31731 is "thermal: core: Address thermal zone removal races with resume", rated High. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.17% 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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