In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: iio: buffer: serialize buffer teardown with mode claims Buffer-mode claims hold… (CVE-2026-98669)

The vulnerability in the Linux kernel's iio subsystem stemmed from iio_device_unregister() disabling and deactivating buffers without acquiring the mlock, which is necessary to maintain the integrity of buffer-mode claims that hold mlock to guarantee device buffer mode. This could lead to invalid buffer state, including active_scan_mask, while a buffer-mode claim was still held. The resolution involved modifying iio_disable_all_buffers() to take mlock, ensuring that unregister honors the mode-claim lifetime guarantee and preserves the locking order (info_exist_lock followed by mlock) consistent with iio_update_buffers().

The vulnerability could cause inconsistent or invalid buffer state during device unregister operations in the iio subsystem, potentially leading to kernel instability or unexpected behavior related to buffer management. There is no indication of remote exploitability or privilege escalation from the provided data.

A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel to address this issue by ensuring proper locking during buffer teardown. Users should apply the official kernel updates that include this fix. Since no patch links are provided, check the Linux kernel vendor advisories or mainline kernel repositories for the relevant patch and update accordingly.