Linux Kernel up to 6.19.10 kernel/locking/mutex.c acpi_ec_setup use after free

| CVSS Meta Temp Score | Current Exploit Price (≈) | CTI Interest Score |
|---|---|---|
| 7.3 | $0-$5k | 0.00 |
Summary
A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.167/6.6.130/6.12.79/6.18.20/6.19.10. Impacted is the function acpi_ec_setup of the file kernel/locking/mutex.c. Performing a manipulation results in use after free.
This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-31426. There is no available exploit.
It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.
Details
A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.167/6.6.130/6.12.79/6.18.20/6.19.10. It has been classified as critical. This affects the function acpi_ec_setup of the file kernel/locking/mutex.c. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ACPI: EC: clean up handlers on probe failure in acpi_ec_setup() When ec_install_handlers() returns -EPROBE_DEFER on reduced-hardware platforms, it has already started the EC and installed the address space handler with the struct acpi_ec pointer as handler context. However, acpi_ec_setup() propagates the error without any cleanup. The caller acpi_ec_add() then frees the struct acpi_ec for non-boot instances, leaving a dangling handler context in ACPICA. Any subsequent AML evaluation that accesses an EC OpRegion field dispatches into acpi_ec_space_handler() with the freed pointer, causing a use-after-free: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in mutex_lock (kernel/locking/mutex.c:289) Write of size 8 at addr ffff88800721de38 by task init/1 Call Trace: <TASK> mutex_lock (kernel/locking/mutex.c:289) acpi_ec_space_handler (drivers/acpi/ec.c:1362) acpi_ev_address_space_dispatch (drivers/acpi/acpica/evregion.c:293) acpi_ex_access_region (drivers/acpi/acpica/exfldio.c:246) acpi_ex_field_datum_io (drivers/acpi/acpica/exfldio.c:509) acpi_ex_extract_from_field (drivers/acpi/acpica/exfldio.c:700) acpi_ex_read_data_from_field (drivers/acpi/acpica/exfield.c:327) acpi_ex_resolve_node_to_value (drivers/acpi/acpica/exresolv.c:392) </TASK> Allocated by task 1: acpi_ec_alloc (drivers/acpi/ec.c:1424) acpi_ec_add (drivers/acpi/ec.c:1692) Freed by task 1: kfree (mm/slub.c:6876) acpi_ec_add (drivers/acpi/ec.c:1751) The bug triggers on reduced-hardware EC platforms (ec->gpe < 0) when the GPIO IRQ provider defers probing. Once the stale handler exists, any unprivileged sysfs read that causes AML to touch an EC OpRegion (battery, thermal, backlight) exercises the dangling pointer. Fix this by calling ec_remove_handlers() in the error path of acpi_ec_setup() before clearing first_ec. ec_remove_handlers() checks each EC_FLAGS_* bit before acting, so it is safe to call regardless of how far ec_install_handlers() progressed: -ENODEV (handler not installed): only calls acpi_ec_stop() -EPROBE_DEFER (handler installed): removes handler, stops EC
The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2026-31426 since 03/09/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 06/18/2026).
The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 306184 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-31426), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.
Upgrading to version 6.1.168, 6.6.131, 6.12.80, 6.18.21 or 6.19.11 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 9c886e63b69658959633937e3acb7ca8addf7499/808c0f156f48d5b8ca34088cbbfba8444e606cbc/d04c007047c88158141d9bd5eac761cdadd3782c/be1a827e15991e874e0d5222d0ea5fdad01960fe/f6484cadbcaf26b5844b51bd7307a663dda48ef6 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.
The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (306184), EUVD (EUVD-2026-21953) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2026-1088). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Affected
- Google Container-Optimized OS
- Debian Linux
- Amazon Linux 2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- Ubuntu Linux
- SUSE Linux
- Oracle Linux
- SUSE openSUSE
- RESF Rocky Linux
- Microsoft Azure Linux
- Open Source Linux Kernel
Product
Type
Vendor
Name
Version
- 6.1.167
- 6.6.130
- 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
- 6.12.12
- 6.12.13
- 6.12.14
- 6.12.15
- 6.12.16
- 6.12.17
- 6.12.18
- 6.12.19
- 6.12.20
- 6.12.21
- 6.12.22
- 6.12.23
- 6.12.24
- 6.12.25
- 6.12.26
- 6.12.27
- 6.12.28
- 6.12.29
- 6.12.30
- 6.12.31
- 6.12.32
- 6.12.33
- 6.12.34
- 6.12.35
- 6.12.36
- 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
- 6.12.78
- 6.12.79
- 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
- 6.18.20
- 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
- 6.19.10
License
Website
- Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/
CPE 2.3
CPE 2.2
CVSSv4
VulDB Vector: 🔒VulDB Reliability: 🔍
CVSSv3
VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.5VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.3
VulDB Base Score: 8.0
VulDB Temp Score: 7.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍
CNA Base Score: 7.0
CNA Vector (Linux): 🔒
CVSSv2
| AV | AC | Au | C | I | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💳 | 💳 | 💳 | 💳 | 💳 | 💳 |
| 💳 | 💳 | 💳 | 💳 | 💳 | 💳 |
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| Vector | Complexity | Authentication | Confidentiality | Integrity | Availability |
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| Unlock | Unlock | Unlock | Unlock | Unlock | Unlock |
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍
Exploiting
Class: Use after freeCWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒
Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially
Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒
| 0-Day | Unlock | Unlock | Unlock | Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | Unlock | Unlock | Unlock | Unlock |
Nessus ID: 306184
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-31426
Threat Intelligence
Interest: 🔍Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍
Countermeasures
Recommended: UpgradeStatus: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔒
Upgrade: Kernel 6.1.168/6.6.131/6.12.80/6.18.21/6.19.11
Patch: 9c886e63b69658959633937e3acb7ca8addf7499/808c0f156f48d5b8ca34088cbbfba8444e606cbc/d04c007047c88158141d9bd5eac761cdadd3782c/be1a827e15991e874e0d5222d0ea5fdad01960fe/f6484cadbcaf26b5844b51bd7307a663dda48ef6
Timeline
03/09/2026 CVE reserved04/13/2026 Advisory disclosed
04/13/2026 VulDB entry created
06/18/2026 VulDB entry last update
Sources
Vendor: kernel.orgAdvisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed
CVE: CVE-2026-31426 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-31426
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-357153
EUVD: 🔒
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2026-1088 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen
Entry
Created: 04/13/2026 16:05Updated: 06/18/2026 16:09
Changes: 04/13/2026 16:05 (59), 04/13/2026 17:58 (1), 04/14/2026 05:40 (2), 05/21/2026 01:09 (12), 06/18/2026 16:09 (7)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
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