All vulnerabilities
CVE-2026-97986

Linux: virtio_input: stop callbacks before unregistering input device

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 6% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in3ae729b1f8ab81d1244061872db2fb0ebb110d2aAlso 81073bca2062c916c818f2744fbab545a5c4982b, 8226aeee9b9a94cd699fbb51cb230feff46cfaf2 and 1 moreCVE List
Published25 Sep 2026Updated 19 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 3ae729b1f8ab81d1244061872db2fb0ebb110d2aLinuxCVE List
  • 81073bca2062c916c818f2744fbab545a5c4982bLinuxCVE List
  • 8226aeee9b9a94cd699fbb51cb230feff46cfaf2LinuxCVE List
  • 5378f7945856a5ed88e6f9850bc7a68f54090135LinuxCVE List

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:

virtio_input: stop callbacks before unregistering input device

virtinput_remove() unregisters the input device before resetting the virtio device. virtinput_recv_events() drops vi->lock around input_event(), so clearing vi->ready does not stop a callback that passed the entry check. It can still use vi->idev, requeue buffers and kick the queue.

Reset first, as virtinput_freeze() already does. With the preceding core change, reset waits for callbacks before input_unregister_device() can free vi->idev. Recheck vi->ready after taking the lock again: keep draining completed events so an input packet is not truncated, but stop requeueing buffers and kicking the queue.

With evdev attached, input_unregister_handle() currently waits for an RCU grace period, which also waits out IRQ callbacks. This masks the lifetime bug on PCI and MMIO, but does not protect sleepable callbacks on other transports.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 14

  • Linuxaffected: 271c865161c57cfabca45b93eaa712b19da365bc before 3ae729b1f8ab81d1244061872db2fb0ebb110d2aCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 271c865161c57cfabca45b93eaa712b19da365bc before 81073bca2062c916c818f2744fbab545a5c4982bCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 271c865161c57cfabca45b93eaa712b19da365bc before 8226aeee9b9a94cd699fbb51cb230feff46cfaf2CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 271c865161c57cfabca45b93eaa712b19da365bc before a3ba86a270dd87460759214046dc7cbd409ac711CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 271c865161c57cfabca45b93eaa712b19da365bc before 5378f7945856a5ed88e6f9850bc7a68f54090135CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 271c865161c57cfabca45b93eaa712b19da365bc before d7808b37da0a619cf1fa541c2384e783fecc2480CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 4.1CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 4.1CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.1.189 through 6.1.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.6.158 through 6.6.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.12.111 through 6.12.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.53 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2.7 through 7.2.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.3CVE List

References 6