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CVE-2026-97479

Linux: driver core: Avoid warning when removing a device while its supplier is unbinding

Linux LinuxOperating systems
Open in ThreatlineRecord JSON
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.17%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 5% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in73ea4ec0ec46d12558a61842b474e7dd63538edcAlso 36d74f17e03f7e60e1b08fbe16cfad6e69cc3aa9, 5.7 and 1 moreCVE List
Published24 Sep 2026Updated 21 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

driver core: Avoid warning when removing a device while its supplier is unbinding

During driver removal, the following warning can appear: WARNING: CPU: 1 PID: 139 at drivers/base/core.c:1497 __device_links_no_driver+0xcc/0xfc ... Call trace: __device_links_no_driver+0xcc/0xfc (P) device_links_driver_cleanup+0xa8/0xf0 device_release_driver_internal+0x208/0x23c device_links_unbind_consumers+0xe0/0x108 device_release_driver_internal+0xec/0x23c device_links_unbind_consumers+0xe0/0x108 device_release_driver_internal+0xec/0x23c device_links_unbind_consumers+0xe0/0x108 device_release_driver_internal+0xec/0x23c driver_detach+0xa0/0x12c bus_remove_driver+0x6c/0xbc driver_unregister+0x30/0x60 pci_unregister_driver+0x20/0x9c lan966x_pci_driver_exit+0x18/0xa90 [lan966x_pci]

This warning is triggered when a consumer is removed because the links status of its supplier is not DL_DEV_DRIVER_BOUND and the link flag DL_FLAG_SYNC_STATE_ONLY is not set.

The topology in terms of consumers/suppliers used was the following (consumer ---> supplier):

i2c -----------> OIC ----> PCI device | ^ | | +---> pinctrl ---+

When the PCI device is removed, the OIC (interrupt controller) has to be removed. In order to remove the OIC, pinctrl and i2c need to be removed and to remove pinctrl, i2c need to be removed. The removal order is: 1) i2c 2) pinctrl 3) OIC 4) PCI device

In details, the removal sequence is the following (with 0000:01:00.0 the PCI device): driver_detach: call device_release_driver_internal(0000:01:00.0)... device_links_busy(0000:01:00.0): links->status = DL_DEV_UNBINDING device_links_unbind_consumers(0000:01:00.0): 0000:01:00.0--oic link->status = DL_STATE_SUPPLIER_UNBIND call device_release_driver_internal(oic)... device_links_busy(oic): links->status = DL_DEV_UNBINDING device_links_unbind_consumers(oic): oic--pinctrl link->status = DL_STATE_SUPPLIER_UNBIND call device_release_driver_internal(pinctrl)... device_links_busy(pinctrl): links->status = DL_DEV_UNBINDING device_links_unbind_consumers(pinctrl): pinctrl--i2c link->status = DL_STATE_SUPPLIER_UNBIND call device_release_driver_internal(i2c)... device_links_busy(i2c): links->status = DL_DEV_UNBINDING __device_links_no_driver(i2c)... pinctrl--i2c link->status is DL_STATE_SUPPLIER_UNBIND oic--i2c link->status is DL_STATE_ACTIVE oic--i2c link->supplier->links.status is DL_DEV_UNBINDING

The warning is triggered by the i2c removal because the OIC (supplier) links status is not DL_DEV_DRIVER_BOUND. Its links status is indeed set to DL_DEV_UNBINDING.

It is perfectly legit to have the links status set to DL_DEV_UNBINDING in that case. Indeed we had started to unbind the OIC which triggered the consumer unbinding and didn't finish yet when the i2c is unbound.

Avoid the warning when the supplier links status is set to DL_DEV_UNBINDING and thus support this removal sequence without any warnings.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 14

  • Linuxaffected: 8c3e315d4296421cd26b3300ee0ac117f0877f20 before d5eb39d6178ca88db706c7b82dcd19a77f30aa9eCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 8c3e315d4296421cd26b3300ee0ac117f0877f20 before da22e4bce2a8cbed32dcda407b7d06cb5feec8e3CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 8c3e315d4296421cd26b3300ee0ac117f0877f20 before 73ea4ec0ec46d12558a61842b474e7dd63538edcCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 8c3e315d4296421cd26b3300ee0ac117f0877f20 before 36d74f17e03f7e60e1b08fbe16cfad6e69cc3aa9CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 2e5c082d3727522a3f30a50582784d24754d14a8CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 70154bb515a325c007bcf64971099e1e17f16f28CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 5.6.19 before 5.7CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 5.7.3 before 5.8CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 5.8CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 5.8CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.6.160 through 6.6.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.12.114 through 6.12.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.53 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2CVE List

References 4