# CVE-2026-31399: nvdimm/bus: Fix potential use after free in asynchronous initialization

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's NVDIMM bus initialization allows attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 23 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-31399, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-31399, GHSA-j3fg-h3r6-7945, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-31399, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-31399, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-13-CVE-2026-31399, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-31399, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-31399, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-31399

## What is CVE-2026-31399?

CVE-2026-31399 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 3 Apr 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:

nvdimm/bus: Fix potential use after free in asynchronous initialization

Dingisoul with KASAN reports a use after free if device_add() fails in
nd_async_device_register().

Commit b6eae0f61db2 ("libnvdimm: Hold reference on parent while
scheduling async init") correctly added a reference on the parent device
to be held until asynchronous initialization was complete.  However, if
device_add() results in an allocation failure the ref count of the
device drops to 0 prior to the parent pointer being accessed.  Thus
resulting in use after free.

The bug bot AI correctly identified the fix.  Save a reference to the
parent pointer to be used to drop the parent reference regardless of the
outcome of device_add().

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-31399?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-31399?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-31399 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-31399 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-31399 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-31399 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 3 Apr 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-31399 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-31399/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-31399/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-31399
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-31399
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-31399

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-31399/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.