# CVE-2026-64071: nvme-pci: fix use-after-free in nvme_free_host_mem()

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel NVMe driver causes a NULL pointer dereference and system crash during device probe errors.

- **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 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-64071, GHSA-g774-9rm3-mcq6, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-64071

## What is CVE-2026-64071?

CVE-2026-64071 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:

nvme-pci: fix use-after-free in nvme_free_host_mem()

nvme_free_host_mem() frees dev->hmb_sgt via dma_free_noncontiguous()
but never clears the pointer afterward.  This leads to a use-after-free
if nvme_free_host_mem() is called twice in the same error path.

This can happen during nvme_probe() when nvme_setup_host_mem() succeeds
in allocating the HMB (setting dev->hmb_sgt) but nvme_set_host_mem()
fails with an I/O error:

  nvme_setup_host_mem()
    nvme_alloc_host_mem_single()   -> sets dev->hmb_sgt
    nvme_set_host_mem()            -> fails with -EIO
    nvme_free_host_mem()           -> frees hmb_sgt, but does NOT NULL it
    return error

  nvme_probe() error path:
    nvme_free_host_mem()           -> dev->hmb_sgt is stale, use-after-free

The second call dereferences the freed sgt, causing a NULL pointer
dereference in iommu_dma_free_noncontiguous() when it accesses
sgt->sgl->dma_address (the backing memory has been freed and zeroed).

This is reproducible on Thunderbolt-attached NVMe devices (e.g., OWC
Envoy Express behind a Dell WD22TB4 dock) where the device intermittently
returns I/O errors during HMB setup due to PCIe link instability.

 BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000010
 RIP: 0010:iommu_dma_free_noncontiguous+0x22/0x80
 Call Trace:
  <TASK>
  dma_free_noncontiguous+0x3b/0x130
  nvme_free_host_mem+0x30/0xf0 [nvme]
  nvme_probe.cold+0xcc/0x275 [nvme]
  local_pci_probe+0x43/0xa0
  pci_device_probe+0xeea/0x290
  really_probe+0xf9/0x3b0
  __driver_probe_device+0x8b/0x170
  driver_probe_device+0x24/0xd0
  __driver_attach_async_helper+0x6b/0x110
  async_run_entry_fn+0x37/0x170
  process_one_work+0x1ac/0x3d0
  worker_thread+0x1b8/0x360
  kthread+0xf7/0x130
  ret_from_fork+0x2d8/0x3a0
  ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30
  </TASK>

Fix this by setting dev->hmb_sgt to NULL after freeing it, so the
second call takes the multi-descriptor path which safely handles the
already-cleaned-up state.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-64071?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-64071?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-64071 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64071 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-2026-64071 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-64071 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-2026-64071 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-2026-64071/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64071/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-64071
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64071
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-64071

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64071/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.