CVE-2026-45981
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: s390/cio: Fix device lifecycle handling in css_alloc_subchannel() `css_alloc_subchannel()` calls `device_initialize()` before setting up the DMA masks. If `dma_set_coherent_mask()` or `dma_set_mask()` fails, the error path frees the subchannel structure directly, bypassing the device model reference counting. Once `device_initialize()` has been called, the embedded struct device must be released via `put_device()`, allowing the release callback to free the container structure. Fix the error path by dropping the initial device reference with `put_device()` instead of calling `kfree()` directly. This ensures correct device lifetime handling and avoids potential use-after-free or double-free issues.
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
3.10
and later are affected. Fixed in
6.6.128,
6.12.75,
6.18.14,
6.19.4,
7.0
and their respective stable series.
References
The following references provide additional information about CVE-2026-45981 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6715560527e343a387e4a0d2e6c401748e89fa55
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/abb6e07f46a740cda4f07d1b561ae4eaa7a1df42
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c35cfbb5341ba05ad1b4476ffc3c21cc3ff8f603
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-45981?
CVE-2026-45981 is a unscored severity Linux kernel vulnerability . It affects Linux kernel versions from 3.10 onward and has been patched in 6.6.128, 6.12.75, 6.18.14 and others. CVE-2026-45981 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
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Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-45981?
Yes — CVE-2026-45981 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.6.128, 6.12.75, 6.18.14 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 3.10 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-45981 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2026-45981 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.