AUGUST 16, 2026
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Case File

CVE-2026-68178

HIGH · CVSS 7.8 EPSS 0.16%

Source: NVD + CISA KEV + EPSS · Published 2026-08-10 · Last synced 2026-08-16

CyberRota Analysis

AI-Generated

The vulnerability affects the Linux kernel's handling of the NSM misc device, where an open file descriptor can persist even after the associated driver module is removed. This can lead to potential exploitation, as subsequent ioctl calls through the lingering descriptor may invoke code from an unloaded module, creating a risk of undefined behavior or security breaches. System administrators and developers utilizing Linux kernel modules should prioritize addressing this issue to prevent potential exploitation in their environments.

CVE
CVE-2026-68178
Severity
HIGH
CVSS
7.8
EPSS
0.16%
Linux

Original NVD Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: misc: nsm: pin the module while the device is open misc_open() installs a misc driver's file operations with fops_get(), which pins file_operations::owner before replacing the file's f_op. The NSM misc device leaves nsm_dev_fops.owner unset, so opening /dev/nsm does not take a module reference on the nsm driver. If the driver is built as a module, an open file descriptor can therefore survive rmmod of the module that provides its ioctl callbacks. A later ioctl through that descriptor can call into unloaded module text. Set nsm_dev_fops.owner to THIS_MODULE so the misc core holds the module while any /dev/nsm file descriptor is open, matching the lifetime expectation for the installed file operations.