CVE-2026-90222 nfc: pn533: hold a reference to the request skb during send_frame
A race condition in the Linux kernel NFC driver allows a use-after-free, potentially causing system crashes or arbitrary code execution via local access.
- 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-2026-90222?
CVE-2026-90222 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:
nfc: pn533: hold a reference to the request skb during send_frame
__pn533_send_async() publishes the command and then calls dev->phy_ops->send_frame(). Once dev->cmd is set, an incoming frame can be matched to this command: the I2C threaded IRQ runs pn533_recv_frame(), which queues cmd_complete_work, and pn533_send_async_complete() frees cmd->req with consume_skb().
On the I2C transport, pn533_i2c_send_frame() still dereferences the same skb after i2c_master_send() returns, so a completion that races the send can free the skb while the transport is still using it.
The request skb is owned by the command object and may be freed by command completion at any time after dev->cmd is published, so the transport send path must not assume it stays alive. Hold a temporary reference to the request skb across the send_frame() call so the transport always sees a live skb even if completion races the send. Add a pn533_send_cmd_frame() helper and use it from all three send paths.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-90222?
How do I fix CVE-2026-90222?
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-2026-90222 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-90222 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-102693, BELL-CVE-2026-90222, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-90222, GHSA-36pr-4p99-6568, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-90222.