# CVE-2026-98606: drm/virtio: release the GEM object on virtio_gpu_vram_create() errors

> A use-after-free in the virtio GPU driver allows local attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code via improper memory handling.

- **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:** 18 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-108884, BELL-CVE-2026-98606, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98606, GHSA-9vq3-mxmp-fq54, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98606

## What is CVE-2026-98606?

CVE-2026-98606 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 18 Oct 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:

drm/virtio: release the GEM object on virtio_gpu_vram_create() errors

virtio_gpu_vram_create() frees the object with a bare kfree(vram) on
both error paths after drm_gem_private_object_init() has run, and on the
second one after drm_gem_create_mmap_offset() has linked obj->vma_node
into the device's VMA offset manager. The freed object stays in that
interval tree, so a later lookup or insertion walks freed memory, and
the dma_resv and gpuva lock are never destroyed.

Call drm_gem_object_release() before kfree() on both paths.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98606?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-98606?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-98606 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98606 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-98606 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-98606 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 18 Oct 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-2026-98606 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-2026-98606/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98606/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98606
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98606
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-98606

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98606/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.