Wrong ID released on error in Linux kernel gpio exar 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 gpio exar driver in the Linux kernel, from 5.11 until the fixed releases, stores its allocated ID only after registering the cleanup action. When that registration fails, the cleanup runs at once and releases ID 0, which can leak the allocated ID or free ID 0 belonging to another device.
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: gpio: exar: initialize the ID before registering its cleanup devm_add_action_or_reset() invokes the cleanup action immediately when registering the action fails. gpio_exar_probe() currently stores the allocated ID in exar_gpio only after registering the action, so that failure makes exar_devm_ida_free() release ID 0. If the allocated ID is nonzero, this leaks that ID and can free ID 0 belonging to another device. Store the ID before registering the cleanup action so both the immediate failure path and normal device teardown release the correct allocation.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Upgrade the Linux kernel to 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.57, 7.2.11 or 7.3, depending on the release branch in use.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.160, 6.12.113, 6.18.57, 7.2.11, 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
- 2026-10-23 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98971
- 2026-10-23 Alias added: GHSA-x5r8-cmvp-6558
- 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-29 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/Linux@0250acba81654b2ee50bde324ad72b3f0c04d0bd, Linux/[email protected], Linux/[email protected] +1 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 2 new references · CNA
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0250acba81654b2ee50bde324ad72b3f0c04d0bd
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/88b9c4bbf83d940ab672956e5af921215905dcb4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bf3d841ef12fcbec4458e2750956b738b043a226
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b78c114600ae3df90c083c72c290437b068577c8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/01318927a9055136c207399eeb36ce07becac179
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f7ec4dbd2a073dd53b6349be1c586fe8580dd6b2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d69e74034b208588636ecc177e0dd43a7696af3
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98971 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98971 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-x5r8-cmvp-6558 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98971 · 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