Linux Kernel up to 6.19.10 File Descriptor vfio_pci_core_feature_dma_buf double free

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Linux Kernel up to 6.19.10. The impacted element is the function vfio_pci_core_feature_dma_buf of the component File Descriptor Handler. This manipulation causes double free. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2026-31468. No exploit is available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.19.10 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function vfio_pci_core_feature_dma_buf of the component File Descriptor Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a double free vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-415. The product calls free() twice on the same memory address, potentially leading to modification of unexpected memory locations. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vfio/pci: Fix double free in dma-buf feature The error path through vfio_pci_core_feature_dma_buf() ignores its own advice to only use dma_buf_put() after dma_buf_export(), instead falling through the entire unwind chain. In the unlikely event that we encounter file descriptor exhaustion, this can result in an unbalanced refcount on the vfio device and double free of allocated objects. Avoid this by moving the "put" directly into the error path and return the errno rather than entering the unwind chain.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-31468 since 03/09/2026. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 07/25/2026).

Upgrading to version 6.19.11 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 83ad334afc9a645cef1062f5346526b1e36d6516/e98137f0a874ab36d0946de4707aa48cb7137d1c 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 vulnerability database at CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2026-1252). Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for 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
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• Siemens SIMATIC S7
• Proxmox Virtual Environment

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 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

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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