# 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.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **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-102693, BELL-CVE-2026-90222, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-90222, GHSA-36pr-4p99-6568, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-90222

## 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.

## Is CVE-2026-90222 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-90222 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-90222 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-90222 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-2026-90222/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-90222/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-90222
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-90222
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-90222

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-90222/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.