Kernel warning via uninitialized USB MIDI work item
Published Sep 16, 2026 · Updated Sep 16, 2026
Improper initialization in the Linux kernel USB MIDI gadget driver allows local privileged users to trigger a kernel warning. The f_midi_alloc function leaves its work item uninitialized when binding never occurs, and f_midi_free later passes that item to __flush_work with a null function pointer. Reaching the path requires privileged configfs manipulation; upstream testing reports a warning but no denial of service or exploitability.
Summary
What happened
Improper initialization in the Linux kernel USB MIDI gadget driver allows local privileged users to trigger a kernel warning. The f_midi_alloc function leaves its work item uninitialized when binding never occurs, and f_midi_free later passes that item to __flush_work with a null function pointer. Reaching the path requires privileged configfs manipulation; upstream testing reports a warning but no denial of service or exploitability.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-90021
- Published
- Sep 16, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 16, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
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=3635523e9b96213969693c320302d536774d8e9b
- Affected versionversion=5.10.235 <5.11
- Affected versionversion=5.12
- Affected versionversion=5.4.291 <5.5
- Affected versionversion=8653d71ce3763aedcf3d2331f59beda3fecd79e4 <02ac76f27db23ef652358458c272d9d2d6f51167
- Affected versionversion=8653d71ce3763aedcf3d2331f59beda3fecd79e4 <3d8b11255e632170f32f1925bfcaf96331f36317
- Affected versionversion=8653d71ce3763aedcf3d2331f59beda3fecd79e4 <7e07d3e4c389217d7d7171d80edf2e23ac70f1ea
- Affected versionversion=8653d71ce3763aedcf3d2331f59beda3fecd79e4 <858576de6b2f5166b08dae803f0fd0766dcb3002
- Affected versionversion=89019ab7a64fcdf98a2ba7799e5c6aff58d4a05d
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
No sourced classifications are available.
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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