Kernel crash via exclusive follower pointer race
Published Sep 16, 2026 · Updated Sep 16, 2026
A race condition in the Linux kernel HDMI CEC framework allows local users to trigger a use-after-free during exclusive follower delivery. The cec_receive_notify() function reads and queues through adap->cec_follower without holding the adapter mutex while another thread can change follower mode or release the filehandle. Triggering requires access to a CEC device and concurrent message reception, and the resulting stale-pointer access can corrupt kernel memory or crash the system.
Summary
What happened
A race condition in the Linux kernel HDMI CEC framework allows local users to trigger a use-after-free during exclusive follower delivery. The cec_receive_notify() function reads and queues through adap->cec_follower without holding the adapter mutex while another thread can change follower mode or release the filehandle. Triggering requires access to a CEC device and concurrent message reception, and the resulting stale-pointer access can corrupt kernel memory or crash the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-89897
- Published
- Sep 16, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 16, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- 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=4.8
- Affected versionversion=9881fe0ca187c213eb3a6a8e78e45ad4d1cec171 <1924d0788caa6c66fd320dd4704fae99487fd2c7
- Affected versionversion=9881fe0ca187c213eb3a6a8e78e45ad4d1cec171 <271e57a936dcdbaecb4b1bd005d9a285bbe60ab4
- Affected versionversion=9881fe0ca187c213eb3a6a8e78e45ad4d1cec171 <4b532b271c91790b7ab661cd488a7ad36f5c4f6b
- Affected versionversion=9881fe0ca187c213eb3a6a8e78e45ad4d1cec171 <5c62095acc2a952099688774513c4a637bcdb2b5
- Affected versionversion=9881fe0ca187c213eb3a6a8e78e45ad4d1cec171 <ae614f48712156fb0f55b207338d48d422c58bc0
- Affected versionversion=9881fe0ca187c213eb3a6a8e78e45ad4d1cec171 <cac577854826950dda4d53569728b1da6c1425d5
- Affected versionversion=9881fe0ca187c213eb3a6a8e78e45ad4d1cec171 <df941e6851da17fc53c7f6af2bdcc7383d17babc
- Affected versionversion=9881fe0ca187c213eb3a6a8e78e45ad4d1cec171 <efc829b4b937f98c4467bffe9243f756b7cfbf7f
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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