Linux Kernel up to 7.2.5 null_blk block/blk-zoned.c nullb_device_power_store zoned/zones race condition

CVSS Meta Temp Score CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.	Current Exploit Price (≈) Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.	CTI Interest Score Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
3.7	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.187/6.6.156/6.12.109/6.18.51/7.2.5. This affects the function nullb_device_power_store of the file block/blk-zoned.c of the component null_blk. Such manipulation of the argument zoned/zones leads to race condition. This vulnerability is referenced as CVE-2026-90184. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. No exploit is available. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.187/6.6.156/6.12.109/6.18.51/7.2.5. It has been rated as problematic. Affected by this issue is the function nullb_device_power_store of the file block/blk-zoned.c of the component null_blk. The manipulation of the argument zoned/zones with an unknown input leads to a race condition vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-362. The product contains a code sequence that can run concurrently with other code, and the code sequence requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence that is operating concurrently. Impacted is integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: null_blk: serialize configfs attribute updates with device setup The attribute store methods generated with NULLB_DEVICE_ATTR() refuse to change the configuration of a live device by testing NULLB_DEV_FL_CONFIGURED, but that flag is only set by nullb_device_power_store() after null_add_dev() has returned, and the store methods take no lock at all. configfs only serializes writes to the same open file (buffer->mutex), so a write to any attribute can run concurrently with null_add_dev() and change the device configuration while it is being used. null_add_dev() reads the configuration several times, e.g. dev->zoned is read once to set up the queue limits and once to initialize the zone resources: CPU0: echo 1 > nullb0/power CPU1: echo 1 > nullb0/zoned nullb_device_power_store() mutex_lock(&lock) null_add_dev() if (dev->zoned) -> false /* no BLK_FEAT_ZONED */ nullb_device_zoned_store() test_bit(FL_CONFIGURED) -> 0 dev->zoned = true blk_mq_alloc_disk() /* queue is not zoned */ if (nullb->dev->zoned) -> true null_register_zoned_dev() blk_revalidate_disk_zones() blk_revalidate_disk_zones() is then called for a queue that does not have BLK_FEAT_ZONED set, which triggers its WARN_ON_ONCE() and fails the device setup with -EIO: WARNING: CPU: 2 PID: 322 at block/blk-zoned.c:2357 blk_revalidate_disk_zones+0x4c/0x560 Clearing dev->zoned in the same window is worse: the queue is created with BLK_FEAT_ZONED but the zone resources are never initialized, so add_disk() succeeds for a zoned disk that has no zones. And a store that lands after the last dev->zoned test leaves dev->zoned set while dev->zones is still NULL, which null_process_zoned_cmd() dereferences on the first write. Fix this by taking the global lock, which nullb_device_power_store() already holds across null_add_dev() and null_del_dev(), around both the NULLB_DEV_FL_CONFIGURED test and the update of the device configuration. The submit_queues and poll_queues apply callbacks are now called with that lock held, so remove the locking they did themselves. Since the store methods can run as soon as configfs_register_subsystem() returns, that is, before null_init() gets to mutex_init(&lock), also initialize the lock statically with DEFINE_MUTEX().

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-90184 since 09/11/2026. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be launched remotely. The exploitation requires an enhanced level of successful authentication. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

Upgrading to version 6.1.188, 6.6.157, 6.12.110, 6.18.52, 7.2.6 or 7.3-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 6352e7ead2d8111802a554eeb94886f5a9894bb9/7de792b4c48fba02a36a8077032f7d5093c925e5/aed8af338a09a64d63b068a803c4ecfc5701dd4c/32456a85995579e56c60cc53c357cda75a9d4f7c/d3d35dd045a35991bf6fd13de5f293e6dd7bf3b3/4e1f23f9c33c156be7e313b40695af5a3a834739 is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.1.187
• 6.6.156
• 6.12.109
• 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
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
• 6.18.23
• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 6.18.33
• 6.18.34
• 6.18.35
• 6.18.36
• 6.18.37
• 6.18.38
• 6.18.39
• 6.18.40
• 6.18.41
• 6.18.42
• 6.18.43
• 6.18.44
• 6.18.45
• 6.18.46
• 6.18.47
• 6.18.48
• 6.18.49
• 6.18.50
• 6.18.51
• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2
• 7.2.3
• 7.2.4
• 7.2.5

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 3.8
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 3.7

VulDB Base Score: 3.8
VulDB Temp Score: 3.7
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Race condition
CWE: CWE-362
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.1.188/6.6.157/6.12.110/6.18.52/7.2.6/7.3-rc1
Patch: 6352e7ead2d8111802a554eeb94886f5a9894bb9/7de792b4c48fba02a36a8077032f7d5093c925e5/aed8af338a09a64d63b068a803c4ecfc5701dd4c/32456a85995579e56c60cc53c357cda75a9d4f7c/d3d35dd045a35991bf6fd13de5f293e6dd7bf3b3/4e1f23f9c33c156be7e313b40695af5a3a834739

Timelineinfo

09/11/2026 CVE reserved
09/17/2026 +6 days Advisory disclosed
09/17/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
09/17/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-90184 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-90184
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-406700

Entryinfo

Created: 09/17/2026 20:29
Changes: 09/17/2026 20:29 (61)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Discussion

Do you know our Splunk app?

Download it now for free!