CVE-2026-98773 USB: cdc-acm: skip URB restart in port_shutdown if disconnected
A use-after-free in the Linux kernel cdc-acm driver allows local attackers to execute code or cause a denial of service via USB device disconnection.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-98773?
CVE-2026-98773 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:
USB: cdc-acm: skip URB restart in port_shutdown if disconnected
acm_port_shutdown() is called from the tty-port machinery whenever the last user closes the port. acm_disconnect() sets acm->disconnected and calls tty_port_tty_vhangup(), which eventually triggers port_shutdown(). At that point acm_disconnect() has already called acm_poison_urbs() and is about to free the control and read URBs.
However, acm_port_shutdown() unconditionally calls acm_unpoison_urbs() and, when the ALWAYS_POLL_CTRL quirk is set, immediately re-submits the ctrlurb and all read URBs. If the concurrent acm_disconnect() then frees those URBs and their DMA buffers while they are in-flight, the result is a use-after-free in acm_ctrl_irq() or acm_read_bulk_callback() accessing the freed DMA memory.
Fix by checking acm->disconnected after draining the delayed anchor and returning early: if we are in a disconnect path the URBs must remain poisoned and must not be resubmitted.
The early return is placed after the delayed-anchor drain loop because that loop only cancels write-side accounting (wb->use = false and autopm counter) and does not touch the hardware path.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98773?
How do I fix CVE-2026-98773?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-98773 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98773 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-108779, BELL-CVE-2026-98773, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98773, GHSA-fp39-rj9v-7xc4, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98773.