CVE-2026-98227: Linux kernel · memstick: ms_block: destroy io_queue workqueue on removal
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.1 Medium.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 01:27 UTC
CVSS:4.0/AV:P/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:NExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 6 Oct 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: memstick: ms_block: destroy io_queue workqueue on removal msb_init_disk() creates the per-card ordered workqueue msb->io_queue with alloc_ordered_workqueue(). It is torn down with destroy_workqueue() only on the init error path; msb_remove() never destroys it. msb_stop() merely flushes the queue, and neither msb_data_clear() nor put_disk() free it. As a result every card insert/remove cycle leaks the workqueue and its kworker, exhausting kernel memory over repeated cycles. Destroy the workqueue in msb_remove() after the disk has been removed and the queue drained.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2026-98227 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98227 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/90af7fde083e1b22c349c3a8b1626728e44e474c (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0ff795163f37109a134b5a421558530f8d091544 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/19c3da6621a253f1f8b937ed91bc22330a930d9c (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6611f78ec3fd4b33a00bfda20725b254a22979f6 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/90af7fde083e1b22c349c3a8b1626728e44e474c (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a2e7cdc0880e735aff0968ee402f2c92a992b9b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f222bb8c30cf5699c560b29179ff2bddcac1f950 (opens in a new tab)