CVE-2026-98512
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Nouveau graphics driver. When destroying a GPU scheduler object, the driver frees memory prematurely while user-space synchronization objects still hold references to it. A local, unprivileged user could exploit this flaw by querying synchronization file information to trigger a use-after-free read, potentially leading to a system crash and Denial of Service (DoS) or information disclosure.
Statement
This vulnerability is rated as Moderate severity because exploitation is restricted to local unprivileged users on systems actively utilizing the open-source Nouveau graphics driver for NVIDIA GPUs. While a local attacker can trigger a kernel crash resulting in a denial of service by querying synchronization file handles after scheduler destruction, it does not permit remote access or arbitrary code execution. Systems lacking NVIDIA display hardware or enterprise installations running alternative display drivers are unaffected.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 5.5 | N/A | 7.1 |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | Local |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | None | N/A | None |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
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