CVE-2026-90189

What the bug is

In null_init(), configfs_register_subsystem() currently runs before register_blkdev(), so when null_blk is built as a module, a racing mkdir() + poweron from userspace can reach null_add_dev() while null_major is still 0. __add_disk() then hits WARN_ON(disk->minors) (major=0 with minors!=0) and fails: [root@fedora ~]# [ 2366.521436] WARNING: block/genhd.c:476 at __add_disk+0x8a7/0xde0, [ 2366.523552] Modules linked in: null_blk(+) nft_fib_inet nft_fib_ipv4 nft_fib_ipv6 nft_fib [ 2366.529081] CPU: 26 UID: 0 PID: 1600 Comm: sh Not tainted 7.2.0-rc1+ #66 PREEMPT(full) ...... [ 2366.547251] Call Trace: [ 2366.547575] <TASK> [ 2366.547831] ? _raw_spin_lock+0x84/0xe0 [ 2366.548260] add_disk_fwnode+0x114/0x560 [ 2366.548739] null_add_dev+0x102d/0x1b80 [null_blk] [ 2366.549310] ? __pfx_null_add_dev+0x10/0x10 [null_blk] [ 2366.549906] ? mutex_lock+0xde/0x1c0 [ 2366.550361] ? __pfx_mutex_lock+0x10/0x10 [ 2366.550827] nullb_device_power_store+0x1e7/0x280 [null_blk] [ 2366.551499] ? __pfx_nullb_device_power_store+0x10/0x10 [null_blk] [ 2366.552177] ? __kmalloc_cache_noprof+0x1f5/0x470 [ 2366.552748] ? configfs_write_iter+0x35c/0x4e0 [ 2366.553242] configfs_write_iter+0x286/0x4e0 [ 2366.553787] vfs_write+0x52d/0xd00 [ 2366.554169] ? __pfx_vfs_write+0x10/0x10 [ 2366.554679] ? __pfx___css_rstat_updated+0x10/0x10 [ 2366.555196] ? fdget_pos+0x1cf/0x4c0 [ 2366.555649] ksys_write+0xfc/0x1d0 ...... Additionally, the err_dev path destroys all devices on nullb_list while configfs is still registered. If a racing mkdir() + poweron puts a user device on the list, null_destroy_dev()->null_free_dev() kfrees the user device's nullb_device but /sys/kernel/config/nullb/<name> is still reachable. Any userspace access to the item will trigger a UAF. For simplicity, move configfs_register_subsystem() to the end to solve the problems above.

Where it lives

The fix touches these files. If the subsystem is one you do not use, the practical exposure is lower, though the package is still the vulnerable one.

drivers/block/null_blk/main.c

What this is

BLOCK LAYERMAINTAINERS section matched on drivers/block/ · linux-block@vger.kernel.org · Maintained

Kernel module

null_blk

Check it on the machine

grep -w CONFIG_BLK_DEV_NULL_BLK /boot/config-$(uname -r)

Reads the booted kernel's own configuration, on the machine and nowhere else. =y is built in, =m is a module, and an is not set line means the code is not there.

lsmod | grep -w null_blk

Prints a line if that module is loaded right now, and nothing if it is not. One that is not loaded can still be loaded later by anything that needs it.

Show whether Debian builds this, per release

Debian builds this as a loadable module. Every release below compiles it as a module on every flavour, so whether the code is in the running kernel depends on whether that module is loaded.

• bookworm, trixie, forky, sid, bookworm · linux-6.12m

m

a loadable module on every flavour - check lsmod, can be blacklisted

Build switch

CONFIG_BLK_DEV_NULL_BLK

From the configuration Debian publishes for every kernel flavour it builds. It covers only the architectures Debian ships a linux-config package for, and nothing about a kernel you built yourself. Debian's own status above stays authoritative about the source package.MAINTAINERS kbuild Makefiles Debian linux-config packages

Signals

Published

2026-09-17 (31 days ago)source

CVSS

no vector published, unrated

Attack vector

not published

EPSS

0.17%, higher than 6.2% of all CVEssource

CISA KEV

not listedthe KEV catalogue

Debian urgency

not yet assignedsource

Subsystem

drivers/block

Upstream fixes

The versions the CNA records as introducing and fixing this, and the commit for each. source

Introduced	Fixed in	Commit
4.14	6.1.188	2679b11e9256
4.14	6.6.157	dbcedbe4819a
4.14	6.12.110	57debc907aef
4.14	6.18.52	d761be1b8f2b
4.14	7.2.6	cab9bf5f68f7
4.14	7.3	c9d293d6bb05

Debian advisories