Unchecked error pointer in Linux kernel rtc mpfs driver probe
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
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Fixed
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
The rtc mpfs driver in the Linux kernel, from 6.0, does not check the return value of devm_clk_get() for the rtcref clock before using it. Passing the error pointer to clk_get_rate() makes the kernel dereference it, for example when the clock provider has not registered yet and ERR_PTR(-EPROBE_DEFER) is returned, so the kernel crashes during probe instead of deferring it.
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: rtc: mpfs: fix unchecked devm_clk_get() error pointer in probe() devm_clk_get(&pdev->dev, "rtcref")'s return value was passed straight into clk_get_rate() without checking it for an error first, unlike the "rtc" clock a few lines above which is correctly checked with IS_ERR(). clk_get_rate() only guards against a NULL clk, not an error pointer: if (!clk) return 0; ... rate = clk_core_get_rate_recalc(clk->core); so if devm_clk_get() ever returns an error pointer here (for example ERR_PTR(-EPROBE_DEFER), which is the normal, expected outcome if the clkcfg clock-provider this RTC depends on has not registered its clocks yet by the time this driver probes), clk_get_rate() dereferences that error pointer instead of returning 0, crashing instead of letting probe defer. Capture the clock in the existing 'clk' local and check it with IS_ERR() before calling clk_get_rate(), matching the handling already used for the "rtc" clock in this same function.
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 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.56, 7.2.10 or 7.3.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 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 →
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
- 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98825
- 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-44qj-hfjm-pr88
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@ab741d1b714b4acc605f3d14cdc4120f87341ed1 · CNA
- 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-10-24 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-24 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@7f59e824a4403e156cf930fe556b75139452099e · CNA
- 2026-10-30 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7f59e824a4403e156cf930fe556b75139452099e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ab741d1b714b4acc605f3d14cdc4120f87341ed1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/74dc7c52946e3d47c40edd0875adb7cc15937066
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cfd70c9b19846c524f2b6195a7484bdf22071ccf
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a03f8422fa08eed335c51bccb612a3d81739ff2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac41b05d15db3134e839148290d67415ee0bdb58
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98825 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98825 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-44qj-hfjm-pr88 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98825 · 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