Workqueue leak in Linux kernel memstick ms_block driver
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Fixed
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
The Linux kernel memstick ms_block driver, from 3.12, never destroys the per-card io_queue workqueue when a card is removed. Each card insert and remove cycle leaks the workqueue and its kworker, so repeated cycles can exhaust kernel memory.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: memstick: ms_block: destroy io_queue workqueue on removal msb_init_disk() creates the per-card ordered workqueue msb->io_queue with alloc_ordered_workqueue(). It is torn down with destroy_workqueue() only on the init error path; msb_remove() never destroys it. msb_stop() merely flushes the queue, and neither msb_data_clear() nor put_disk() free it. As a result every card insert/remove cycle leaks the workqueue and its kworker, exhausting kernel memory over repeated cycles. Destroy the workqueue in msb_remove() after the disk has been removed and the queue drained.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Update the Linux kernel to 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8 or 7.3, the fixed versions listed for Linux.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 7 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5
Timeline
- 2026-10-06 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98227
- 2026-10-06 Alias added: GHSA-4xvx-jjq9-8pfx
- 2026-10-09 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-09 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0ff795163f37109a134b5a421558530f8d091544
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/19c3da6621a253f1f8b937ed91bc22330a930d9c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a2e7cdc0880e735aff0968ee402f2c92a992b9b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6611f78ec3fd4b33a00bfda20725b254a22979f6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f222bb8c30cf5699c560b29179ff2bddcac1f950
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/90af7fde083e1b22c349c3a8b1626728e44e474c
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98227 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98227 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-4xvx-jjq9-8pfx · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98227 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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