# CVE-2026-97528: scsi: qla2xxx: Unlink NVMe unsol ctx before freeing on LS reject error

> A use-after-free in the qla2xxx NVMe driver allows attackers to cause a kernel panic or list corruption via specific link service reject errors.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 25 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-104436, BELL-CVE-2026-97528, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97528, GHSA-cw7x-747c-3cx3, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97528

## What is CVE-2026-97528?

CVE-2026-97528 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 25 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:

scsi: qla2xxx: Unlink NVMe unsol ctx before freeing on LS reject error

qla_nvme_xmt_ls_rsp() obtains uctx, which was linked into
fcport->unsol_ctx_head by qla2xxx_process_purls_iocb() and is still linked
when the NVMe transport calls back to transmit the LS response. On the
error (out:) path the function frees uctx with kfree() but never removes
it from the list. This leaves a freed node in fcport->unsol_ctx_head: the
next list_add_tail() for that fcport writes through the freed node, and a
subsequent list_del() can corrupt the list or panic.

Unlink uctx with list_del() before kfree() on the error path, matching the
other free sites in qla_nvme_release_lsrsp_cmd_kref() and
qla2xxx_process_purls_pkt(). qla2x00_rel_sp() in the failure path only
returns the SRB to its pool and does not invoke sp->put_fn, so the out:
path is the sole free and uctx is always still linked there.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-97528?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-97528?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-97528 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-97528 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-97528 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-97528 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 25 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-2026-97528 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-2026-97528/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97528/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-97528
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97528
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97528

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97528/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.