CVE-2026-23158 gpio: virtuser: fix UAF in configfs release path
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's gpio-virtuser module allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges via configfs release path.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-23158?
CVE-2026-23158 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 14 Feb 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
gpio: virtuser: fix UAF in configfs release path
The gpio-virtuser configfs release path uses guard(mutex) to protect the device structure. However, the device is freed before the guard cleanup runs, causing mutex_unlock() to operate on freed memory.
Specifically, gpio_virtuser_device_config_group_release() destroys the mutex and frees the device while still inside the guard(mutex) scope. When the function returns, the guard cleanup invokes mutex_unlock(&dev->lock), resulting in a slab use-after-free.
Limit the mutex lifetime by using a scoped_guard() only around the activation check, so that the lock is released before mutex_destroy() and kfree() are called.
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-23158?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2026-23158?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-23158 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23158 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2026-23158, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23158, GHSA-q8wj-qfj9-vjfp, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-23158.