CVE-2026-98690 thunderbolt: Fix domain reference leak when DPRX read is canceled
A local attacker can cause a kernel hang and memory leak by unplugging a Thunderbolt device during a specific timing window, requiring physical access.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-98690?
CVE-2026-98690 is a denial of service vulnerability in Linux, published on 18 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
thunderbolt: Fix domain reference leak when DPRX read is canceled
tb_tunnel_one_dp() takes a domain reference which is only dropped once tb_dp_tunnel_active() has run on the work queue. If that work is cancelled that reference is leaked. Since commit f5cc545f5969 ("thunderbolt: Wait for tb_domain_release() to complete when driver is removed") instead of just leaking memory this now also blocks in the completion wait forever when unbinding the driver.
This can be triggered whenever a DP tunnel is torn down before the DPRX read has completed, e.g. by unplugging within the timeout, and then unbinding the driver.
That reference only exists to keep the domain around while the DPRX work is scheduled so let the work itself own it: take it in tb_dp_dprx_start() and drop it in both places that end the work. Get/put are then paired inside the same file and it doesn't matter anymore if the callback ever runs.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98690?
How do I fix CVE-2026-98690?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade, then put limits on request size, rate and nesting depth so one client cannot exhaust the service. More about Denial of service.
Is CVE-2026-98690 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98690 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2026-98690, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98690, GHSA-wqqh-3g59-38q4, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98690.