Linux Kernel up to 7.2.5 firmware_loader fw_load_sysfs_fallback use after free

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.
8.4	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as very critical has been detected in Linux Kernel up to 7.2.5. Affected is the function fw_load_sysfs_fallback of the component firmware_loader. Performing a manipulation results in use after free. This vulnerability is cataloged as CVE-2026-90284. The attack must be initiated from a local position. There is no exploit available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 7.2.5. It has been classified as very critical. This affects the function fw_load_sysfs_fallback of the component firmware_loader. 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: firmware_loader: do not queue completed sysfs fallback requests fw_load_sysfs_fallback() calls device_add() before adding the fw_priv to pending_fw_head. device_add() publishes the fallback loading interface, so a userspace helper which discovers the device by scanning sysfs can write 0 to the loading attribute and complete the request before it is queued as pending. In that interleaving firmware_loading_store() calls fw_state_done() while pending_list still points to itself, so it cannot remove an entry from pending_fw_head. The subsequent unconditional list_add() then queues an already-completed fw_priv. Once the request is released, pending_fw_head can retain a pointer to freed memory and the next fallback request can fault while validating the list. Only in-flight fallback requests need suspend or reboot abort handling. If the request is already DONE after device_add(), return success from the fallback path without sending another uevent, waiting again, or queueing it as pending. This preserves the invariant that pending_fw_head contains only active fallback requests.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2026-90284 since 09/11/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. Attacking locally is a requirement. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 09/17/2026).

Upgrading to version 5.10.270, 5.15.221, 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 c8b97c5130f27b64fa2cfe1aa4bebb13f724c6c7/93a2385730540105df8524447dcc11309ad280f9/ea33fac0df7fe7b49a4b27acb83e227b82317d1d/5a250bff75a446374c05622973b18b4ab662b504/85aeb8fc61839098ae0942ccba86e669c08e75d4/6eaa632d0ed7bbb84f9cb670e5ec4e2cecf4cc7b/fb4824880b0dba0e7b3a497c46c642f979630392/b48373c901951fad1a26bd7c33ad91172b3945b5 is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.10.269
• 5.15.220
• 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: 8.8
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 8.4

VulDB Base Score: 8.8
VulDB Temp Score: 8.4
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: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

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 5.10.270/5.15.221/6.1.188/6.6.157/6.12.110/6.18.52/7.2.6/7.3-rc1
Patch: c8b97c5130f27b64fa2cfe1aa4bebb13f724c6c7/93a2385730540105df8524447dcc11309ad280f9/ea33fac0df7fe7b49a4b27acb83e227b82317d1d/5a250bff75a446374c05622973b18b4ab662b504/85aeb8fc61839098ae0942ccba86e669c08e75d4/6eaa632d0ed7bbb84f9cb670e5ec4e2cecf4cc7b/fb4824880b0dba0e7b3a497c46c642f979630392/b48373c901951fad1a26bd7c33ad91172b3945b5

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-2026-90284 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-90284
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-406779

Entryinfo

Created: 09/17/2026 21:07
Changes: 09/17/2026 21:07 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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Discussion

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