CVE-2026-98609

What the bug is

virtio_gpu_gem_create() owns the reference taken by virtio_gpu_object_create(). On the drm_gem_handle_create() error path it calls drm_gem_object_release() instead of dropping that reference. drm_gem_object_release() is the inverse of drm_gem_object_init() and does not touch the reference count or call obj->funcs->free(), so it is only correct as the last step of a destructor, as in virtio_gpu_cleanup_object(). Using it here leaves the bo at refcount 1 with no remaining reference, so virtio_gpu_free_object() never runs and the shmem pages, sg table and virtio_gpu_object are leaked. Since virtio_gpu_object_create() has already set bo->created, VIRTIO_GPU_CMD_RESOURCE_UNREF is not queued either, leaking the host-side resource and the resource id. drm_gem_handle_create_tail() drops the handle reference on all of its internal error paths, so the caller only has to drop its own. Use drm_gem_object_put(), matching the success path below.

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/gpu/drm/virtio/virtgpu_gem.c

What this is

VIRTIO GPU DRIVERMAINTAINERS section matched on drivers/gpu/drm/virtio/ · dri-devel@lists.freedesktop.org · Maintained

Kernel module

virtio_gpu

Check it on the machine

grep -w CONFIG_DRM_VIRTIO_GPU /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 virtio_gpu

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, but not on every flavour. At least one release below builds the code on some of its kernel flavours and not on others, so the answer depends on the architecture and flavour installed.

• bookwormMnot built on amd64/cloud-amd64, arm64/cloud-arm64
• trixie, forky, sidMnot built on amd64/cloud-amd64, arm64/cloud-arm64, s390x/s390x

M

a module where it is built at all; some flavours do not build it

Build switch

CONFIG_DRM_VIRTIO_GPU

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

2026-10-18 (today)source

CVSS

no vector published, unrated

Attack vector

not published

EPSS

not scored

CISA KEV

not listedthe KEV catalogue

Debian urgency

not yet assignedsource

Subsystem

drivers/gpu

Upstream fixes

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

Introduced	Fixed in	Commit
4.2	5.10.271	13423a058187
4.2	5.15.222	687be2f8b5e0
4.2	6.1.189	264ae8ac8fd6
4.2	6.6.158	e2edd2d78d2c
4.2	6.12.112	372e9c3d45f6
4.2	6.18.55	a93dce15dfef
4.2	7.2.9	f75066c79d1e
4.2	7.3	36570ef2244c