Kernel crash via uninitialized SRCU dereference
Published Jan 23, 2026 · Updated Jan 23, 2026
Race condition in Linux Kernel 6.9 allows local users to crash the kernel through concurrent GPIO driver registration. The gpiodev_add_to_list_unlocked function publishes gdev in gpio_devices before its srcu field is initialized, while gpio_name_to_desc dereferences that field without mutex or SRCU protection. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and a timing window in which two drivers register GPIO chips concurrently; no data disclosure or modification is reported.
Summary
What happened
Race condition in Linux Kernel 6.9 allows local users to crash the kernel through concurrent GPIO driver registration. The gpiodev_add_to_list_unlocked function publishes gdev in gpio_devices before its srcu field is initialized, while gpio_name_to_desc dereferences that field without mutex or SRCU protection. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and a timing window in which two drivers register GPIO chips concurrently; no data disclosure or modification is reported.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-22986
- Published
- Jan 23, 2026
- Updated
- Jan 23, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-362, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 23, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jan 23, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=47d8b4c1d868148c8fb51b785a89e58ca2d02c4d <a7ac22d53d0990152b108c3f4fe30df45fcb0181
- Affected versionversion=47d8b4c1d868148c8fb51b785a89e58ca2d02c4d <fb674c8f1a5d8dd3113a7326030f963fa2d79c02
- Affected versionversion=6.9
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Weakness, pattern, technique
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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