Linux Kernel up to 7.0-rc4 PM pm_runtime_work use after free

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability described as critical has been identified in Linux Kernel up to 7.0-rc4. This issue affects the function pm_runtime_work of the component PM. Executing a manipulation can lead to use after free. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2026-23452. No exploit is available. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 7.0-rc4. This vulnerability affects the function pm_runtime_work of the component PM. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: PM: runtime: Fix a race condition related to device removal The following code in pm_runtime_work() may dereference the dev->parent pointer after the parent device has been freed: /* Maybe the parent is now able to suspend. */ if (parent && !parent->power.ignore_children) { spin_unlock(&dev->power.lock); spin_lock(&parent->power.lock); rpm_idle(parent, RPM_ASYNC); spin_unlock(&parent->power.lock); spin_lock(&dev->power.lock); } Fix this by inserting a flush_work() call in pm_runtime_remove(). Without this patch blktest block/001 triggers the following complaint sporadically: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in lock_acquire+0x70/0x160 Read of size 1 at addr ffff88812bef7198 by task kworker/u553:1/3081 Workqueue: pm pm_runtime_work Call Trace: dump_stack_lvl+0x61/0x80 print_address_description.constprop.0+0x8b/0x310 print_report+0xfd/0x1d7 kasan_report+0xd8/0x1d0 __kasan_check_byte+0x42/0x60 lock_acquire.part.0+0x38/0x230 lock_acquire+0x70/0x160 _raw_spin_lock+0x36/0x50 rpm_suspend+0xc6a/0xfe0 rpm_idle+0x578/0x770 pm_runtime_work+0xee/0x120 process_one_work+0xde3/0x1410 worker_thread+0x5eb/0xfe0 kthread+0x37b/0x480 ret_from_fork+0x6cb/0x920 ret_from_fork_asm+0x11/0x20 Allocated by task 4314: kasan_save_stack+0x2a/0x50 kasan_save_track+0x18/0x40 kasan_save_alloc_info+0x3d/0x50 __kasan_kmalloc+0xa0/0xb0 __kmalloc_noprof+0x311/0x990 scsi_alloc_target+0x122/0xb60 [scsi_mod] __scsi_scan_target+0x101/0x460 [scsi_mod] scsi_scan_channel+0x179/0x1c0 [scsi_mod] scsi_scan_host_selected+0x259/0x2d0 [scsi_mod] store_scan+0x2d2/0x390 [scsi_mod] dev_attr_store+0x43/0x80 sysfs_kf_write+0xde/0x140 kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x3ef/0x670 vfs_write+0x506/0x1470 ksys_write+0xfd/0x230 __x64_sys_write+0x76/0xc0 x64_sys_call+0x213/0x1810 do_syscall_64+0xee/0xfc0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x4b/0x53 Freed by task 4314: kasan_save_stack+0x2a/0x50 kasan_save_track+0x18/0x40 kasan_save_free_info+0x3f/0x50 __kasan_slab_free+0x67/0x80 kfree+0x225/0x6c0 scsi_target_dev_release+0x3d/0x60 [scsi_mod] device_release+0xa3/0x220 kobject_cleanup+0x105/0x3a0 kobject_put+0x72/0xd0 put_device+0x17/0x20 scsi_device_dev_release+0xacf/0x12c0 [scsi_mod] device_release+0xa3/0x220 kobject_cleanup+0x105/0x3a0 kobject_put+0x72/0xd0 put_device+0x17/0x20 scsi_device_put+0x7f/0xc0 [scsi_mod] sdev_store_delete+0xa5/0x120 [scsi_mod] dev_attr_store+0x43/0x80 sysfs_kf_write+0xde/0x140 kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x3ef/0x670 vfs_write+0x506/0x1470 ksys_write+0xfd/0x230 __x64_sys_write+0x76/0xc0 x64_sys_call+0x213/0x1810

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-23452 since 01/13/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 04/03/2026).

Upgrading to version 6.1.167, 6.6.130, 6.12.78, 6.18.20, 6.19.10 or 7.0-rc5 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 5649b46af8b167259e8a8e4e7eb3667ce74554b5/39f2d86f2ddde8d1beda05732f30c7cd945e0b5a/c6febaacfb8a0aec7d771a0e6c21cd68102d5679/bb081fd37f8312651140d7429557258afe51693d/cf65a77c0f9531eb6cfb97cc040974d2d8fff043/29ab768277617452d88c0607c9299cdc63b6e9ff is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.1.166
• 6.6.129
• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3
• 6.12.4
• 6.12.5
• 6.12.6
• 6.12.7
• 6.12.8
• 6.12.9
• 6.12.10
• 6.12.11
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• 6.12.25
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• 6.12.37
• 6.12.38
• 6.12.39
• 6.12.40
• 6.12.41
• 6.12.42
• 6.12.43
• 6.12.44
• 6.12.45
• 6.12.46
• 6.12.47
• 6.12.48
• 6.12.49
• 6.12.50
• 6.12.51
• 6.12.52
• 6.12.53
• 6.12.54
• 6.12.55
• 6.12.56
• 6.12.57
• 6.12.58
• 6.12.59
• 6.12.60
• 6.12.61
• 6.12.62
• 6.12.63
• 6.12.64
• 6.12.65
• 6.12.66
• 6.12.67
• 6.12.68
• 6.12.69
• 6.12.70
• 6.12.71
• 6.12.72
• 6.12.73
• 6.12.74
• 6.12.75
• 6.12.76
• 6.12.77
• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.19.0
• 6.19.1
• 6.19.2
• 6.19.3
• 6.19.4
• 6.19.5
• 6.19.6
• 6.19.7
• 6.19.8
• 6.19.9
• 7.0-rc1
• 7.0-rc2
• 7.0-rc3
• 7.0-rc4

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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