CVE-2026-90044 (CVSS 7.8)

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: gadget: f_fs: Fix Use-After-Free in AIO error path In ffs_epfile_write_iter() and ffs_epfile_read_iter(), when ffs_epfile_io() fails with an error other than -EIOCBQUEUED, the io_data structure (`p`) is freed. However, for AIO operations, the kiocb cancel function was already armed and kiocb->private was set to `p`. If a concurrent cancel operation (such as sys_io_cancel()) executes after ffs_epfile_io() fails but before the function frees `p`, a Use-After-Free can occur when the cancellation handler accesses the freed pointer. To securely fix this race condition, we must properly un-arm the cancellation. Invoking `kiocb->ki_complete()` does exactly this by acquiring `ctx->ctx_lock` and safely removing the kiocb from the active sequence. In doing so, it ensures that a parallel io_cancel can no longer discover the kiocb, effectively closing the race window. We then return -EIOCBQUEUED to notify the VFS layer that the kiocb has been consumed and it should avoid attempting to complete the request again or triggering subsequent completion handlers.

Is your site exposed to CVE-2026-90044?

Run a free security scan — no signup, results in seconds.

CVSS v3.1 Score

7.8

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0017

Probability of exploitation

0.06%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

References

Other References

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/153b5ecd29ed055562400bc17c91df3fd869b0ce https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4a2fb2d12b87b43724230abb52a1440617c7b6cc https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b5f0e80a03e87bd932487e03248eae3ba3ed7b45 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e78dcb1f7ec271449c54984dc90c62a5ba272de7

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-90044? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: gadget: f_fs: Fix Use-After-Free in AIO error path In ffs_epfile_write_iter() and ffs_epfile_read_iter(), when ffs_epfile_io() fails with an error other than -EIOCBQUEUED, the io_data structure (`p`) is freed. However, for AIO operations, the kiocb cancel function was already armed and kiocb->private was set to `p`. If a concurrent cancel operation (such as sys_io_cancel()) executes after ffs_epfile_io() fails but before the function frees `p`, a Use-After-Free can occur when the cancellation handler accesses the freed pointer. To securely fix this race condition, we must properly un-arm the cancellation. Invoking `kiocb->ki_complete()` does exactly this by acquiring `ctx->ctx_lock` and safely removing the kiocb from the active sequence. In doing so, it ensures that a parallel io_cancel can no longer discover the kiocb, effectively closing the race window. We then return -EIOCBQUEUED to notify the VFS layer that the kiocb has been consumed and it should avoid attempting to complete the request again or triggering subsequent completion handlers. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2026-90044? +

CVE-2026-90044 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching. The EPSS score is 0.0017, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-90044? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

CVE-2026-90044