Kernel crash via unlocked em28xx state access
Published Apr 24, 2026 · Updated Apr 24, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux Kernel em28xx V4L2 driver allows local users to crash the kernel by racing device teardown. em28xx_v4l2_open() reads dev->v4l2 without dev->lock while initialization failure or finalization can free that structure, leaving v4l2_fh_init() with a freed embedded video_device or em28xx_resolution_set() with NULL. Reaching the race requires local access to an em28xx video device and concurrent open and teardown activity; the documented outcomes are a use-after-free and NULL dereference.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux Kernel em28xx V4L2 driver allows local users to crash the kernel by racing device teardown. em28xx_v4l2_open() reads dev->v4l2 without dev->lock while initialization failure or finalization can free that structure, leaving v4l2_fh_init() with a freed embedded video_device or em28xx_resolution_set() with NULL. Reaching the race requires local access to an em28xx video device and concurrent open and teardown activity; the documented outcomes are a use-after-free and NULL dereference.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-31583
- Published
- Apr 24, 2026
- Updated
- Apr 24, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 24, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 24, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5fb2940327722b4684d2f964b54c1c90aa277324
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6b9e66437cc6123ddedac141e1b8b6fcf57d2972
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <871b8ea8ef39a6c253594649f4339378fad3d0dd
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <dd2b888e08d3b3d6aacd65d76cd44fac11da750f
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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