Use-after-free in Linux kernel ALPS HID driver after input2 failure
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Adjacent network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 6 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel HID ALPS driver stores the input2 device before its registration succeeds, so a failed registration leaves a dangling pointer. An adjacent attacker with no privileges can trigger a use-after-free by sending a specific HID report during the failure window, and user interaction is required. Linux kernel versions from 4.8 are affected until fixed.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: HID: alps: fix use-after-free on input2 registration failure alps_input_configured() stores data->input2 before calling input_register_device(). If registration fails, input_free_device() frees the input device but data->input2 still points to the freed memory. alps_input_configured() calls hid_hw_open() before allocating input2, so URBs are already active and raw_event can fire during the failure window. A U1_SP_ABSOLUTE_REPORT_ID report arriving then causes u1_raw_event() to dereference the freed data->input2 -> use-after-free. Fix by only storing input2 into drvdata after successful registration and adding a NULL guard in the raw_event path.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Fixed in Linux kernel stable releases 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9 and 7.3. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9 and 10 and OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 are affected with no plan available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.271, 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98501
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-56g2-px47-cfcj
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-20 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-20 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-24 CVSS score added · CNA
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/64f824dccfd316fd3db8ea1cc4e8a76ad6a02740
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e55d76e6e8a756f6d87c241de975599f82b02fa
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ef8ca5bb4c8b9696f38b1bebce1c851baa02b77b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5a8ad63158165bacd6a1d7420e0fe5364c913b06
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/47e5e177e9e4e10da6f2759d5ce8d049e33efdc4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/925da1d2a24787f24872de13a4680437c54de179
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/443f6b93442b10b972a16f57ceaaea75b77892b6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d3aba3442798ce4a4c8ce3104d7b286d61e605f9
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98501 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98501 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-56g2-px47-cfcj · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98501 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences