Bug 2535265 (CVE-2026-89970)

Summary: CVE-2026-89970 kernel: nvmet-auth: Synchronize timeout work during SQ teardown
Product: [Other] Security Response Reporter: OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component: vulnerabilityAssignee: Product Security DevOps Team <prodsec-dev>
Status: NEW --- QA Contact:
Severity: high Docs Contact:
Priority: high    
Version: unspecifiedCC: akhatavk, aos-team-art-private, asdas, dpaolell, jdelft, jupierce, lgarciaa, mbiarnes, ppalepu, ppostler, prdhamdh, rhel-process-autobot, sghai, sidsharm, suppawar, vlaad, watson-tool-maintainers
Target Milestone: ---Keywords: Security
Target Release: ---   
Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
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A flaw was found in the `nvmet-auth` component of the Linux kernel. A timing issue during the cleanup of a Submission Queue (SQ) can lead to a use-after-free vulnerability. This occurs when a delayed authentication task attempts to access memory that has already been released or repurposed. An attacker could potentially exploit this to cause a system crash (denial of service) or other memory corruption impacts.
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Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-09-16 11:41:52 UTC 
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

nvmet-auth: Synchronize timeout work during SQ teardown

nvmet_auth_sq_free() cancels auth_expired_work with
cancel_delayed_work(). If the work has already started, cancellation does
not wait for the callback. Transport teardown can consequently free or
reuse the queue containing struct nvmet_sq while
nvmet_auth_expired_work() still accesses that SQ.

Add a teardown-specific helper that synchronously drains the delayed work
before freeing authentication state, and use it from nvmet_sq_destroy().
Keep the non-synchronous helper for in-band authentication state cleanup,
where the SQ owner remains alive.
Comment 1 Keith Grant 2026-09-16 19:12:00 UTC 
Upstream advisory:
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-89970.mbox
Comment 4 Jon Orris 2026-10-12 18:51:14 UTC 
This issue has been addressed in the following products:

  Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10

Via RHSA-2026:81406 https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:81406
Comment 5 Jon Orris 2026-10-12 23:06:49 UTC 
This issue has been addressed in the following products:

  Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

Via RHSA-2026:81552 https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:81552