CVE-2026-98834 mtd: core: avoid double-free of OTP NVMEM device
A double-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel MTD core allows local attackers to cause a denial of service or potentially execute code.
- 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-2026-98834?
CVE-2026-98834 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:
mtd: core: avoid double-free of OTP NVMEM device
If factory OTP setup fails after the user OTP NVMEM device has been registered, mtd_otp_nvmem_add() unregisters the user device but leaves mtd->otp_user_nvmem set. On an error, the caller unregisters it again. For -EOPNOTSUPP, registration continues and normal teardown unregisters it again.
Clear mtd->otp_user_nvmem after unregistering it.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98834?
How do I fix CVE-2026-98834?
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-2026-98834 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98834 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-109191, BELL-CVE-2026-98834, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98834, GHSA-cqw6-frjh-g7f6, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98834.