# CVE-2026-90189: null_blk: register configfs subsystem after creating default devices

> A race condition in the Linux kernel null_blk module allows local attackers to trigger a use-after-free, potentially leading to privilege escalation or code execution.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **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:** 17 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-102141, BELL-CVE-2026-90189, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-90189, GHSA-p7q5-vj3m-rc98, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-90189

## What is CVE-2026-90189?

CVE-2026-90189 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 17 Sep 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:

null_blk: register configfs subsystem after creating default devices

In null_init(), configfs_register_subsystem() currently runs before
register_blkdev(), so when null_blk is built as a module, a racing mkdir()
+ poweron from userspace can reach null_add_dev() while null_major is still
0. __add_disk() then hits WARN_ON(disk->minors) (major=0 with minors!=0)
and fails:

[root@fedora ~]# [ 2366.521436] WARNING: block/genhd.c:476 at __add_disk+0x8a7/0xde0,
[ 2366.523552] Modules linked in: null_blk(+) nft_fib_inet nft_fib_ipv4 nft_fib_ipv6 nft_fib
[ 2366.529081] CPU: 26 UID: 0 PID: 1600 Comm: sh Not tainted 7.2.0-rc1+ #66 PREEMPT(full)
......
[ 2366.547251] Call Trace:
[ 2366.547575]  <TASK>
[ 2366.547831]  ? _raw_spin_lock+0x84/0xe0
[ 2366.548260]  add_disk_fwnode+0x114/0x560
[ 2366.548739]  null_add_dev+0x102d/0x1b80 [null_blk]
[ 2366.549310]  ? __pfx_null_add_dev+0x10/0x10 [null_blk]
[ 2366.549906]  ? mutex_lock+0xde/0x1c0
[ 2366.550361]  ? __pfx_mutex_lock+0x10/0x10
[ 2366.550827]  nullb_device_power_store+0x1e7/0x280 [null_blk]
[ 2366.551499]  ? __pfx_nullb_device_power_store+0x10/0x10 [null_blk]
[ 2366.552177]  ? __kmalloc_cache_noprof+0x1f5/0x470
[ 2366.552748]  ? configfs_write_iter+0x35c/0x4e0
[ 2366.553242]  configfs_write_iter+0x286/0x4e0
[ 2366.553787]  vfs_write+0x52d/0xd00
[ 2366.554169]  ? __pfx_vfs_write+0x10/0x10
[ 2366.554679]  ? __pfx___css_rstat_updated+0x10/0x10
[ 2366.555196]  ? fdget_pos+0x1cf/0x4c0
[ 2366.555649]  ksys_write+0xfc/0x1d0
......

Additionally, the err_dev path destroys all devices on nullb_list while
configfs is still registered. If a racing mkdir() + poweron puts a user
device on the list, null_destroy_dev()->null_free_dev() kfrees the user
device's nullb_device but /sys/kernel/config/nullb/<name> is still
reachable. Any userspace access to the item will trigger a UAF.

For simplicity, move configfs_register_subsystem() to the end to solve
the problems above.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-90189?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-90189?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-90189 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-90189 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-90189 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-90189 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 17 Sep 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-2026-90189 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. 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-2026-90189/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-90189/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-90189
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-90189
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-90189

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-90189/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.