CVE-2026-98693

thunderbolt: Hold a router reference for each allocated HopID

Published Oct 18, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 4.1 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

thunderbolt: Hold a router reference for each allocated HopID

tb_stop() drops the reference to all DP tunnels but does not deactivate
them, thus nothing cancels a dprx_work still in flight (which holds its
own tunnel reference) and the tunnel can outlive tb_switch_remove(). The
HopID releases in tb_path_free() then operate on freed IDAs and trigger
warnings like

ida_free called for id=8 which is not allocated.

This can be triggered by unbinding the driver while a DP tunnel is still
waiting for the DPRX capabilities read to finish. On the Apple NHI
unplugging the cable runs into just that reliably because the read can
never finish right now and because the unplug powers down the entire
USB4 complex and removes the NHI device.

Take a router reference whenever an input or output HopID is allocated
and drop it again after the HopID is released. This keeps the ports and
their HopID IDAs alive for as long as they are used.

The KUnit tests allocate routers without ever registering their devices
so initialize the embedded struct device there as well and drop its
initial reference when the test is finished.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9018-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9018-2 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9019-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9020-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-825
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 4.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: thunderbolt: Hold a router reference for each allocated HopID tb_stop() drops the reference to all DP tunnels but does not deactivate them, thus nothing cancels a dprx_work still in flight (which holds its own tunnel reference) and the tunnel can outlive tb_switch_remove(). The HopID releases in tb_path_free() then operate on freed IDAs and trigger warnings like ida_free called for id=8 which is not allocated. This can be triggered by unbinding the driver while a DP tunnel is still waiting for the DPRX capabilities read to finish. On the Apple NHI unplugging the cable runs into just that reliably because the read can never finish right now and because the unplug powers down the entire USB4 complex and removes the NHI device. Take a router reference whenever an input or output HopID is allocated and drop it again after the HopID is released. This keeps the ports and their HopID IDAs alive for as long as they are used. The KUnit tests allocate routers without ever registering their devices so initialize the embedded struct device there as well and drop its initial reference when the test is finished.
Title thunderbolt: Hold a router reference for each allocated HopID
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Oct 19, 2026, 9:24 AM
Reserved
Sep 25, 2026, 10:25 AM
Status
Received
Published
Oct 18, 2026, 4:17 PM
Modified
Oct 19, 2026, 10:19 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Oct 18, 2026, 12:00 AM