# CVE-2026-64017: blk-mq: pop cached request if it is usable

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel block layer allows attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges via crafted I/O operations.

- **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:** 19 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-92814, BELL-CVE-2026-64017, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-64017, GHSA-pqjq-mhgh-j532, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-64017, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-13-CVE-2026-64017, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-64017

## What is CVE-2026-64017?

CVE-2026-64017 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 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:

blk-mq: pop cached request if it is usable

When submitting a bio to blk-mq, if the task should sleep after peeking
a cached request, but before it pops it, the plug flushes and calls
blk_mq_free_plug_rqs, freeing the cached_rqs. This creates a
use-after-free bug. Fix this by popping the cached request before any
possible blocking calls if it is suitable for use.

Popping this request first holds a queue reference, so avoid any
serialization races with queue freezes and can safely proceed with
dispatching that request to the driver. This potentially increases a
timing window from when a driver wants to freeze its queue to when
requests stop being dispatched. That scenario is off the fast path
though, and drivers need to appropriately handle requests during a
freeze request anyway.

The downside is the popped element needs to be individually freed when
we performed a bio plug merge. The cached request would have had to be
freed later anyway, but this patch does it inline with building the plug
list instead of after flushing it.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-64017?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-64017?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-64017 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64017 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-2026-64017 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-64017 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 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-2026-64017 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-2026-64017/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64017/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-64017
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64017
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-64017

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64017/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.