CVE-2026-68318 pds_core: fix use-after-free on workqueue during remove
A use-after-free in the pds_core driver allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges during device removal.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-68318?
CVE-2026-68318 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 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:
pds_core: fix use-after-free on workqueue during remove
In pdsc_remove(), the workqueue is destroyed before pdsc_teardown() is called. This ordering allows two paths to queue work on the destroyed workqueue:
1. If pdsc_teardown() -> pdsc_devcmd_reset() times out, the error path in pdsc_devcmd_locked() queues health_work.
2. A NotifyQ event can trigger the ISR and queue work before free_irq() is called in pdsc_teardown().
Fix by moving destroy_workqueue() after pdsc_teardown() so the workqueue outlives every queuer; destroy_workqueue() then flushes any work still pending.
Draining the queued work also requires ordering the teardown so the resources that work touches are freed last:
- In pdsc_qcq_free(), after freeing the interrupt, cancel_work_sync() the queue's work and only then clear qcq->intx, so pdsc_process_adminq()'s read of qcq->intx for interrupt-credit return cannot race with the clear.
- Free adminqcq before notifyqcq: the shared adminq ISR is released when adminqcq is freed, and the adminq work accesses notifyqcq, so both must be stopped before notifyqcq is freed.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-68318?
How do I fix CVE-2026-68318?
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-2026-68318 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-68318 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-94728, BELL-CVE-2026-68318, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-68318, GHSA-q3gg-v595-rj52, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-68318.