CVE-2026-98680 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 10/18/2026
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
iio: accel: kionix-kx022a: Prevent memory leak and fix state
The driver allocates memory for samples at buffer enable path. If regmap operation fails in the kx022a_fifo_enable() at the buffer enable path, the allocated memory is never freed. Furthermore, the state information and previous hardware configuration(s) aren't undone, potentially leaving WMI interrupts and buffers enabled, or driver state flags wrong.
Free the memory and revert the hardware configuration and state flags on error path.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/19/2026
The Linux kernel input/output subsystem contains a specific vulnerability within the Kionix KX022A accelerometer device driver that results in resource exhaustion and improper system state management during buffer initialization sequences. This issue is classified under CWE-401, which denotes a missing release of memory after effective use, leading to potential denial-of-service conditions through gradual resource depletion. The vulnerability manifests specifically when the driver attempts to enable data buffering for the sensor hardware. During this process, the kernel allocates necessary memory structures required to handle incoming sample data from the device. However, if an underlying register map operation fails within the kx022a_fifo_enable function, the error handling path is incomplete. Instead of cleaning up after the failed attempt, the driver proceeds without releasing the previously allocated memory block. This oversight creates a direct pathway for memory leaks to occur every time this specific failure condition is triggered during buffer enablement operations.
Beyond the immediate resource leak, the vulnerability introduces significant risks related to system stability and hardware state consistency due to improper handling of device configuration flags. When the register map operation fails, the driver does not revert the hardware configuration or reset internal state variables that were modified prior to the failure point. Consequently, the sensor may remain in an inconsistent operational mode where write memory interface interrupts are left enabled despite the buffer setup being incomplete. This mismatch between the actual hardware state and the kernel's view of that state can lead to unpredictable behavior in subsequent operations. The driver might attempt to read from or interact with a device configuration that was never successfully established, potentially causing data corruption or further system instability as the operating system relies on incorrect assumptions about the peripheral's status.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability primarily affects systems relying on continuous sensor polling or frequent buffer enablement cycles, such as mobile devices, IoT sensors, and embedded Linux platforms utilizing Kionix acceleration hardware. An attacker with local access to the system could exploit this flaw by repeatedly triggering conditions that cause register map failures during buffer initialization. Each successful trigger would result in a small but persistent memory leak and an accumulation of incorrect state flags. Over time, this can lead to significant performance degradation as available kernel memory is consumed, eventually resulting in a denial-of-service condition where the system becomes unresponsive or crashes due to resource exhaustion. Furthermore, the lingering hardware interrupts could generate excessive interrupt load on the CPU, further degrading system performance and potentially masking other security events by flooding logs with spurious sensor data.
To mitigate this vulnerability, it is imperative that systems running affected versions of the Linux kernel are updated to a patched release where the driver logic has been corrected. The fix involves modifying the error handling path within the kx022a_fifo_enable function to ensure comprehensive cleanup procedures are executed upon failure. This includes explicitly freeing the allocated memory buffer and systematically reverting any hardware configuration changes or state flags that were altered during the initialization sequence. By ensuring that both resource deallocation and state restoration occur reliably on error paths, the driver maintains consistency between software expectations and hardware reality. Administrators should also monitor system logs for signs of increasing interrupt rates or memory pressure associated with sensor drivers as a precautionary measure until patches are applied. This aligns with industry best practices for robust kernel development, emphasizing strict adherence to cleanup protocols in all execution branches to prevent resource leaks and state corruption.