{"id":"CVE-2026-72489","state":"PUBLISHED","title":"staging: nvec: fix use-after-free in nvec_rx_completed()","description":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nstaging: nvec: fix use-after-free in nvec_rx_completed()\n\nIn nvec_rx_completed(), when an incomplete RX transfer is detected,\nnvec_msg_free() is called to return the message back to the pool by\nclearing its 'used' atomic flag. Immediately after this, the code\naccesses nvec->rx->data[0] to check the message type.\n\nSince nvec_msg_free() marks the pool slot as available via atomic_set(),\nany concurrent or subsequent call to nvec_msg_alloc() could claim that\nsame slot and overwrite its data[] array. Reading nvec->rx->data[0] after\nfreeing the message is therefore a use-after-free.\n\nFix this by saving the message type byte before calling nvec_msg_free(),\nthen using the saved value for the battery quirk check.","publishedAt":"2026-08-15T05:57:24.948Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-17T05:44:51.131Z","severity":{"score":8.4,"label":"High","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","source":"Linux"},"assigner":"Linux","products":["Linux Linux"],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"6b2ea886ebdae44a2394029844a4e78f58e1587d","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"a37625c7b688fcf68a54263528eccbabfd7fa17a","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"9f7fe4165a1f1014bdadc8e744c0fd3c2d8c0b89","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"08626fcfe12308ca3f8b22c538ba7dee0b2dce7a","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"f19a5bc059051143c489dd6f79a0f9c3bfd13aea","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"bb3d592c7d6c4ec8ac6640c690ca13298e7e8e90","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"5de04caa46b635e180cecbd164e333eca535db94","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"26813881181deb3a32fbb59eadb2599cbe8423f6","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/staging/nvec/nvec.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"3.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"3.2","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.261","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.212","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.178","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.6.145","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.6.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.12.97","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.12.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.18.40","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.18.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.1.5","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"7.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.2","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/staging/nvec/nvec.c"]}],"references":["https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b2ea886ebdae44a2394029844a4e78f58e1587d","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a37625c7b688fcf68a54263528eccbabfd7fa17a","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9f7fe4165a1f1014bdadc8e744c0fd3c2d8c0b89","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/08626fcfe12308ca3f8b22c538ba7dee0b2dce7a","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f19a5bc059051143c489dd6f79a0f9c3bfd13aea","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bb3d592c7d6c4ec8ac6640c690ca13298e7e8e90","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5de04caa46b635e180cecbd164e333eca535db94","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/26813881181deb3a32fbb59eadb2599cbe8423f6"],"weaknesses":[],"ingestedAt":"2026-10-29T20:12:58.252Z","source":{"repository":"CVEProject/cvelistV5","path":"cves/2026/72xxx/CVE-2026-72489.json","commit":"556c9d3a8cd17e218bb8e452ba7cd619a384ff47"},"raw":{"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2","cveMetadata":{"cveId":"CVE-2026-72489","state":"PUBLISHED","datePublished":"2026-08-15T05:57:24.948Z","dateUpdated":"2026-08-17T05:44:51.131Z","assignerShortName":"Linux","assignerOrgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateReserved":"2026-08-09T03:40:39.936Z"},"containers":{"cna":{"title":"staging: nvec: fix use-after-free in nvec_rx_completed()","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nstaging: nvec: fix use-after-free in nvec_rx_completed()\n\nIn nvec_rx_completed(), when an incomplete RX transfer is detected,\nnvec_msg_free() is called to return the message back to the pool by\nclearing its 'used' atomic flag. Immediately after this, the code\naccesses nvec->rx->data[0] to check the message type.\n\nSince nvec_msg_free() marks the pool slot as available via atomic_set(),\nany concurrent or subsequent call to nvec_msg_alloc() could claim that\nsame slot and overwrite its data[] array. Reading nvec->rx->data[0] after\nfreeing the message is therefore a use-after-free.\n\nFix this by saving the message type byte before calling nvec_msg_free(),\nthen using the saved value for the battery quirk check."}],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"6b2ea886ebdae44a2394029844a4e78f58e1587d","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"a37625c7b688fcf68a54263528eccbabfd7fa17a","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"9f7fe4165a1f1014bdadc8e744c0fd3c2d8c0b89","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"08626fcfe12308ca3f8b22c538ba7dee0b2dce7a","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"f19a5bc059051143c489dd6f79a0f9c3bfd13aea","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"bb3d592c7d6c4ec8ac6640c690ca13298e7e8e90","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"5de04caa46b635e180cecbd164e333eca535db94","versionType":"git"},{"version":"d6bdcf2e1019351cbc176e963b7756766bdd8721","status":"affected","lessThan":"26813881181deb3a32fbb59eadb2599cbe8423f6","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/staging/nvec/nvec.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"3.2","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"3.2","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.261","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.212","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.178","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.6.145","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.6.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.12.97","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.12.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.18.40","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.18.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.1.5","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"7.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.2","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["drivers/staging/nvec/nvec.c"]}],"references":[{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b2ea886ebdae44a2394029844a4e78f58e1587d"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a37625c7b688fcf68a54263528eccbabfd7fa17a"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9f7fe4165a1f1014bdadc8e744c0fd3c2d8c0b89"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/08626fcfe12308ca3f8b22c538ba7dee0b2dce7a"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f19a5bc059051143c489dd6f79a0f9c3bfd13aea"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bb3d592c7d6c4ec8ac6640c690ca13298e7e8e90"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5de04caa46b635e180cecbd164e333eca535db94"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/26813881181deb3a32fbb59eadb2599cbe8423f6"}],"metrics":[{"cvssV3_1":{"version":"3.1","vectorString":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","baseScore":8.4,"baseSeverity":"HIGH"},"scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"AV:L - The flaw is hit in the I2C slave IRQ handler when the embedded controller ends an RX transfer early; on affected Tegra20 PAZ00 netbooks a local actor can reach it by stressing EC traffic via kernel battery polling and userspace sysfs/input subdrivers (LED, keyboard) that call nvec_write_async().\nAC:L - This is a use-after-free where nvec_msg_free() returns the RX pool slot and the handler immediately re-reads nvec->rx->data[0]; on SMP an attacker can provoke incomplete NVEC_BAT responses while concurrent I2C IRQs call nvec_msg_alloc(), controlling both sides of the slot-reuse race.\nPR:N - No elevated privileges are needed because the nvec-power delayed worker automatically issues NVEC_BAT requests every five seconds at boot, and documented incomplete EC battery responses can reach the vulnerable IRQ path before any user authentication or special capabilities.\nUI:N - Exploitation does not require victim interaction; kernel background battery and AC polling plus EC-initiated incomplete transfers can invoke nvec_rx_completed() without the user mounting filesystems, opening files, or performing other deliberate actions.\nS:U - Impact is confined to kernel memory and privileges on the same Tegra SoC running the driver; this is not a VM escape, hypervisor breakout, or other cross-security-authority boundary violation.\nC:H - Reading nvec->rx->data[0] after nvec_msg_free() is a use-after-free on a msg_pool slot where concurrent nvec_msg_alloc() can overwrite data[], yielding attacker-influenced kernel memory reads and potential disclosure of pointers or adjacent structure contents.\nI:H - Use-after-free on reusable nvec_msg pool entries can be leveraged for controlled reuse of freed message buffers, enabling heap-style corruption primitives that may lead to arbitrary kernel memory writes and privilege escalation or code execution.\nA:H - The post-free read can mis-handle ec_transfer completion and corrupt IRQ-time state; use-after-free in hardirq context can kernel oops or panic the system, consistent with the original battery-quirk crash this code path was introduced to mitigate."}]}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"Linux","orgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateUpdated":"2026-08-17T05:44:51.131Z"},"cpeApplicability":[{"nodes":[{"operator":"OR","negate":false,"cpeMatch":[{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"3.2","versionEndExcluding":"5.10.261"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"3.2","versionEndExcluding":"5.15.212"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"3.2","versionEndExcluding":"6.1.178"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"3.2","versionEndExcluding":"6.6.145"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"3.2","versionEndExcluding":"6.12.97"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"3.2","versionEndExcluding":"6.18.40"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"3.2","versionEndExcluding":"7.1.5"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"3.2","versionEndExcluding":"7.2"}]}]}],"x_generator":{"engine":"bippy-1.2.0"}}}}}