Wrong deregistration order in Linux kernel USB serial 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
- Partial Red Hat: 7 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel USB serial drivers are affected. When a USB serial driver module is unloaded, the USB driver is deregistered after the port drivers, so I/O can continue after the ports are unbound. This can cause a use-after-free in completion handlers that access port data.
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: USB: serial: fix driver deregistration order USB serial driver modules register one driver for the USB bus and one or more drivers for the ports on the USB serial bus. When unloading a driver module, the USB driver must be deregistered before the USB serial bus drivers so that I/O is stopped before unbinding the ports to avoid use-after-free in completion handlers accessing port data. Note that the "new_id" attributes must first be removed to prevent new ids from being added and triggering a probe of the USB driver after it has been deregistered.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Linux kernel stable fixes are in versions 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10 and 7.3. Red Hat lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 with no fix planned, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 with no fix available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10, 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 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| 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 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98696
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-7jf2-f6fj-7mgx
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-21 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@e7ad832b1144df19cbbaaa655625c6f984e85b9f · CNA
- 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-10-23 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/Linux@2f12343f39e316ff66adc84a6db3569f33b50f66, Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected] +3 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 3 new references · CNA
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/991904982827f07706c643bb0428c4b689b254e3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7c65438e3b98bd6009af09db8c725547192cdfe0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2f12343f39e316ff66adc84a6db3569f33b50f66
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e7ad832b1144df19cbbaaa655625c6f984e85b9f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9b085a06a0a411b0bcdf18b61c3ebf1be1c72ffe
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a1aa474768f69ea3a70da523f00f74c264cfa10e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/428d479a0d31460fbf5969ab262ccd673f1fac01
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/646e5b28b4fdbc1b828a2398d6ced2c1dd308a46
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98696 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98696 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-7jf2-f6fj-7mgx · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98696 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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