Linux Kernel up to 6.12.111/6.18.54/7.2.8/7.3-rc4 Fbdev Client Restore drm_atomic.c drm_fbdev_client_restore null pointer dereference

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5.3	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.111/6.18.54/7.2.8/7.3-rc4. This impacts the function drm_fbdev_client_restore of the file drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic.c of the component Fbdev Client Restore. The manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is listed as CVE-2026-98523. The attack must be carried out locally. There is no available exploit. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.111/6.18.54/7.2.8/7.3-rc4. It has been rated as critical. This issue affects the function drm_fbdev_client_restore of the file drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic.c of the component Fbdev Client Restore. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. Impacted is availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/client: fix restore of partially initialized client I got a null-ptr-deref report when closing a DRM file descriptor: WARNING: drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic.c:2031 at __drm_atomic_helper_set_config+0x18e/0x1b0 [drm] Call Trace: drm_client_modeset_commit_atomic+0x16b/0x220 [drm] drm_client_modeset_commit_locked+0x56/0x160 [drm] drm_client_modeset_commit+0x21/0x40 [drm] __drm_fb_helper_restore_fbdev_mode_unlocked.part.0+0x7b/0x80 drm_fbdev_client_restore+0xe/0x20 [drm_client_lib] drm_client_dev_restore+0x9f/0xc0 [drm] drm_release+0xc5/0xe0 [drm] The warning is followed by a NULL pointer dereference: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000008 RIP: __drm_fb_helper_restore_fbdev_mode_unlocked.part.0+0x41/0x80 [drm_kms_helper] Call Trace: drm_fbdev_client_restore+0xe/0x20 [drm_client_lib] drm_client_dev_restore+0x9f/0xc0 [drm] drm_release+0xc5/0xe0 [drm] __fput+0xdc/0x2b0 __x64_sys_close+0x39/0x80 do_syscall_64+0x8d/0x460 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e drm_client_register() adds the DRM client to the device client list before invoking the initial hotplug callback. If the hotplug callback fails, the client remains registered. For the fbdev client, a failure during drm_fb_helper_initial_config() causes the partially initialized fbdev helper to be cleaned up. drm_fb_helper_fini() releases fb_helper->info and leaves it NULL. The fbdev client therefore remains registered even though there is no fully initialized framebuffer device. Later, when userspace closes the DRM file descriptor, drm_release() can invoke the restore callbacks of registered DRM clients: drm_release() drm_client_dev_restore() drm_fbdev_client_restore() drm_fb_helper_restore_fbdev_mode_unlocked() drm_fbdev_client_restore() currently restores the fbdev state unconditionally. For a partially initialized fbdev client this can submit an incomplete modeset state and subsequently access fbdev state which has not been initialized, resulting in the warning and NULL pointer dereference above. drm_fbdev_client_unregister() already uses fb_helper->info to distinguish a fully probed framebuffer device from a partially initialized client. Use the same condition in drm_fbdev_client_restore() and skip restore if no framebuffer device has been successfully initialized.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2026-98523 since 09/25/2026. The exploitation is known to be easy. An attack has to be approached locally. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

Upgrading to version 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9 or 7.3-rc5 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 11edd5b6735d2e1069ddce672b1836713647f7fb/fcbedba553a9c430079ee225df2dc7ab556a2f83/a69c4b678db808c0d89abb8cedeaaac38d1ef182/1fca688e9443003e33cf30453e7a7560367656c9 is able to eliminate this problem. 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

• 6.12.111
• 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
• 6.18.52
• 6.18.53
• 6.18.54
• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2
• 7.2.3
• 7.2.4
• 7.2.5
• 7.2.6
• 7.2.7
• 7.2.8
• 7.3-rc1
• 7.3-rc2
• 7.3-rc3
• 7.3-rc4

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
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CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.5
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.3

VulDB Base Score: 5.5
VulDB Temp Score: 5.3
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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

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

Exploitinginfo

Class: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.12.112/6.18.55/7.2.9/7.3-rc5
Patch: 11edd5b6735d2e1069ddce672b1836713647f7fb/fcbedba553a9c430079ee225df2dc7ab556a2f83/a69c4b678db808c0d89abb8cedeaaac38d1ef182/1fca688e9443003e33cf30453e7a7560367656c9

Timelineinfo

09/25/2026 CVE reserved
10/18/2026 +23 days Advisory disclosed
10/18/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
10/18/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-98523 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-98523
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-421793

Entryinfo

Created: 10/18/2026 17:50
Changes: 10/18/2026 17:50 (60)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Discussion

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