---
id: "CVE-2026-98697"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-98697"]
title: "Linux kernel USB serial: dynamic ID race can leak device IDs"
severity: "unknown"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["infrastructure", "linux-kernel", "usb-serial"]
not_affected_if: []
published_at: "2026-10-18T16:17:23+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:16+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T05:18:57+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98697", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:16+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel USB serial: dynamic ID race can leak device IDs

A race in the Linux kernel USB serial driver lets a write to the new_id attribute add an ID after the dynamic IDs were freed, so memory can leak. The sources describe a memory leak during driver deregistration, not code execution.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- unknown

## Fix

- unknown

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:16+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98697

## From the sources

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

USB: serial: fix dynamic id driver deregistration race

Only free the dynamic ids after having deregistered the driver and
removed the "new_id" attribute to avoid leaking any id added by a racing
write to the attribute.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_