# 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.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-98690, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98690, GHSA-wqqh-3g59-38q4, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98690

## 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.

## Is CVE-2026-98690 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98690 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-98690 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98690 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-2026-98690/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98690/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98690
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98690
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-98690

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98690/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.