CVE-2026-53385

vc_screen: fix null-ptr-deref in vcs_notifier() during concurrent vcs_write

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: July 19, 2026 at 11:59 AM UTC
Updated: August 17, 2026 at 05:17 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.1%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vc_screen: fix null-ptr-deref in vcs_notifier() during concurrent vcs_write A KASAN null-ptr-deref was observed in vcs_notifier(): BUG: KASAN: null-ptr-deref in vcs_notifier+0x98/0x130 Read of size 2 at addr qmp_cmd_name: qmp_capabilities, arguments: {} The issue is a race condition in vcs_write(). When the console_lock is temporarily dropped (to copy data from userspace), the vc_data pointer obtained from vcs_vc() may become stale. After re-acquiring the lock, vcs_vc() is called again to re-validate the pointer. If the vc has been deallocated in the meantime, vcs_vc() returns NULL, and the while loop breaks (with written > 0). However, after the loop, vcs_scr_updated(vc) is still called with the now-NULL vc pointer, leading to a null pointer dereference in the notifier chain (vcs_notifier dereferences param->vc). Fix this by adding a NULL check for vc before calling vcs_scr_updated().

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

v ≥ 4.14.327v ≥ 4.19.284v ≥ 5.4.244v ≥ 6.3.44.14.327 ≤ v < 4.154.19.284 ≤ v < 4.205.10.181 ≤ v < 5.10.2605.15.113 ≤ v < 5.15.2115.4.244 ≤ v < 5.56.1.30 ≤ v < 6.1.1776.13 ≤ v < 6.18.376.19 ≤ v < 7.0.146.3.4 ≤ v < 6.46.4 ≤ v < 6.12.956.4 ≤ v < 6.18.376.4 ≤ v < 6.6.1446.4 ≤ v < 7.0.146.4 ≤ v < 7.1.26.4 ≤ v < 7.26.4.1 ≤ v < 6.6.1446.7 ≤ v < 6.12.957.1 ≤ v < 7.1.20deff678157333d775af190f84696336cdcccd6d11dddfbb7a4e62489b01074d6c04d9d1b42e40471de42e7653d6714a7507ba6696151a1fa028c69f3338d0b9acde770ee588eead5cac32c25e7048fc4.14.3274.19.2845.10.1815.15.1135.4.2446.1.306.3.46.46.4 rc36.4 rc46.4 rc56.4 rc66.4 rc78fb9ea65c9d1338b0d2bb0a9122dc942cdd32357934de9a9b659785fed3e820bc0c813a460c71feaa4e3c4c65ae8510e01352c9a4347e05c035b2ce2e3d1adcad5b73c7ed0c7edb35ab68abcaa45cf67
Vendor states this is fixed in 09a43e81279b8da15526da09877134b8bcf618b0 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 43a6281790273c1b0a9ab76609ff0245b968f1e6 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 73049768ad57145acd337102c5aa3c788e6642c8 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 74be188eb2dc1c99d63986167b9a67d415fe7326 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7cc3dd79777f6ae4625ec37e84dd18a26dc88bde (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 8232fca738011ca2ec865b46ec721d1796dc0580 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in a287620312dc6dcb9a093417a0e589bf30fcf38a (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in b6bbb85cf45bf0b070e741997fe0af3a772c5ad5 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in ff4806202749a51938236214adc0281481a57366 (fixed)
Affected range stops below 4.15, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Affected range stops below 4.20, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.10.260 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.15.211 (unaffected)
Affected range stops below 5.5, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.1.177 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.12.95 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.18.37 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.4 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6.144 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.0.14 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.1.2 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.2 (unaffected)

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-476

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