Use-after-free in Linux kernel - CVE-2026-46213
Published: May 29, 2026
Vulnerability details
The vulnerability allows a local user to cause a denial of service.
The vulnerability exists due to use-after-free in the appletb-kbd inactivity timer cleanup path when handling driver tear-down and timer re-arming through HID event callbacks. A local user can trigger driver removal or error-handling conditions to cause a denial of service.
The issue can be reached through two race windows during cleanup, including concurrent backlight device unbind activity and late HID event callbacks that re-arm the timer.
Affected software
Ubuntu
linux (Ubuntu package)
linux-ibm (Ubuntu package)
linux-oem-7.0 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure (Ubuntu package)
linux-aws (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-bos (Ubuntu package)
How to mitigate CVE-2026-46213
linux (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-28.28, 7.0.0-28.28.1, 7.0.0-1003.4, 7.0.0-1008.8
linux-ibm (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-1008.8, 7.0.0-1010.10
linux-oem-7.0 (Ubuntu package) - update to 7.0.0-1009.9
linux-azure (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-1009.9, 7.0.0-1010.10
linux-aws (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-1009.9, 7.0.0-1015.15
linux-nvidia (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 7.0.0-1016.16, 7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1
linux-nvidia-bos (Ubuntu package) - update to 7.0.0-2016.16