Kernel crash via retained kthread error pointer
Published Sep 16, 2026 · Updated Sep 16, 2026
Improper error handling in the Linux video-i2c driver allows local users to crash the kernel after capture-thread creation fails. The start_streaming path stores kthread_run's ERR_PTR in kthread_vid_cap, and stop_streaming later passes that error pointer to kthread_stop instead of treating it as a failed thread creation. The path requires access to an affected video-I2C capture device and a failed capture-thread creation before streaming is stopped.
Summary
What happened
Improper error handling in the Linux video-i2c driver allows local users to crash the kernel after capture-thread creation fails. The start_streaming path stores kthread_run's ERR_PTR in kthread_vid_cap, and stop_streaming later passes that error pointer to kthread_stop instead of treating it as a failed thread creation. The path requires access to an affected video-I2C capture device and a failed capture-thread creation before streaming is stopped.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-89871
- Published
- Sep 16, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 16, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 16, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 16, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=4.18
- Affected versionversion=5cebaac609744414463d1ecc28fdecd26c1b9bc1 <0e7f2cd72a4f9268ee09a13b13f3339e7cc71557
- Affected versionversion=5cebaac609744414463d1ecc28fdecd26c1b9bc1 <0fac63cac6689588da530764ccb6ba55ee8e4d8b
- Affected versionversion=5cebaac609744414463d1ecc28fdecd26c1b9bc1 <3d1b10d81fe54852ed953f4129577b733bbd6907
- Affected versionversion=5cebaac609744414463d1ecc28fdecd26c1b9bc1 <52fd9d80c0cea7bf09e7ee36cad316e5c39b7fe6
- Affected versionversion=5cebaac609744414463d1ecc28fdecd26c1b9bc1 <5c35d380bea60503c4fe0986fe1de6a3263282b3
- Affected versionversion=5cebaac609744414463d1ecc28fdecd26c1b9bc1 <76e379754ba618989f6215be608d5c04774a611d
- Affected versionversion=5cebaac609744414463d1ecc28fdecd26c1b9bc1 <968c5213e34c48d35febdfd09cf3dc58ad039140
- Affected versionversion=5cebaac609744414463d1ecc28fdecd26c1b9bc1 <db0f4531aa55cfb0171684ebfffe3ff04b79d5a8
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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