In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
gpib: fix use-after-free in IO ioctl handlers
The IBRD, IBWRT, IBCMD, and IBWAIT ioctl handlers use a gpib_descriptor
pointer after board->big_gpib_mutex has been released. A concurrent
IBCLOSEDEV ioctl can free the descriptor via close_dev_ioctl() during
this window, causing a use-after-free.
The IO handlers (read_ioctl, write_ioctl, command_ioctl) explicitly
release big_gpib_mutex before calling their handler. wait_ioctl() is
called with big_gpib_mutex held, but ibwait() releases it internally
when wait_mask is non-zero. In all four cases, the descriptor pointer
obtained from handle_to_descriptor() becomes unprotected.
Fix this by introducing a kernel-only descriptor_busy reference count
in struct gpib_descriptor. Each handler atomically increments
descriptor_busy under file_priv->descriptors_mutex before releasing the
lock, and decrements it when done. close_dev_ioctl() checks
descriptor_busy under the same lock and rejects the close with -EBUSY
if the count is non-zero.
A reference count rather than a simple flag is necessary because
multiple handlers can operate on the same descriptor concurrently
(e.g. IBRD and IBWAIT on the same handle from different threads).
A separate counter is needed because io_in_progress can be cleared from
unprivileged userspace via the IBWAIT ioctl (through general_ibstatus()
with set_mask containing CMPL), which would allow an attacker to bypass
a check based solely on io_in_progress. The new descriptor_busy
counter is only modified by the kernel IO paths.
The lock ordering is consistent (big_gpib_mutex -> descriptors_mutex)
and the handlers only hold descriptors_mutex briefly during the lookup,
so there is no deadlock risk and no impact on IO throughput.
Metrics
Affected Vendors & Products
References
History
Fri, 01 May 2026 14:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: gpib: fix use-after-free in IO ioctl handlers The IBRD, IBWRT, IBCMD, and IBWAIT ioctl handlers use a gpib_descriptor pointer after board->big_gpib_mutex has been released. A concurrent IBCLOSEDEV ioctl can free the descriptor via close_dev_ioctl() during this window, causing a use-after-free. The IO handlers (read_ioctl, write_ioctl, command_ioctl) explicitly release big_gpib_mutex before calling their handler. wait_ioctl() is called with big_gpib_mutex held, but ibwait() releases it internally when wait_mask is non-zero. In all four cases, the descriptor pointer obtained from handle_to_descriptor() becomes unprotected. Fix this by introducing a kernel-only descriptor_busy reference count in struct gpib_descriptor. Each handler atomically increments descriptor_busy under file_priv->descriptors_mutex before releasing the lock, and decrements it when done. close_dev_ioctl() checks descriptor_busy under the same lock and rejects the close with -EBUSY if the count is non-zero. A reference count rather than a simple flag is necessary because multiple handlers can operate on the same descriptor concurrently (e.g. IBRD and IBWAIT on the same handle from different threads). A separate counter is needed because io_in_progress can be cleared from unprivileged userspace via the IBWAIT ioctl (through general_ibstatus() with set_mask containing CMPL), which would allow an attacker to bypass a check based solely on io_in_progress. The new descriptor_busy counter is only modified by the kernel IO paths. The lock ordering is consistent (big_gpib_mutex -> descriptors_mutex) and the handlers only hold descriptors_mutex briefly during the lookup, so there is no deadlock risk and no impact on IO throughput. | |
| Title | gpib: fix use-after-free in IO ioctl handlers | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-05-01T14:14:58.617Z
Reserved: 2026-03-09T15:48:24.140Z
Link: CVE-2026-31769
No data.
Status : Awaiting Analysis
Published: 2026-05-01T15:16:40.090
Modified: 2026-05-01T15:24:14.893
Link: CVE-2026-31769
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.