---
id: "CVE-2026-98971"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-98971"]
title: "Linux kernel: GPIO Exar driver can free the wrong IDA entry"
severity: "unknown"
cvss: null
epss: 0.00209
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["exar-gpio", "linux-kernel", "package"]
not_affected_if: []
published_at: "2026-10-23T13:17:18+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:33+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T12:38:50+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98971", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:33+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-98971", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-25T12:38:50+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel: GPIO Exar driver can free the wrong IDA entry

In the Linux kernel's Exar GPIO driver, a failed cleanup registration makes the probe path release ID 0 instead of the device's own allocated ID. An attacker is not described as gaining code execution or data access; the flaw can leak an ID and free an ID belonging to another device.

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

## How to check

- unknown

## Fix

- unknown

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:33+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98971
- 2026-10-25T12:38:50+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-98971

## From the sources

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

gpio: exar: initialize the ID before registering its cleanup

devm_add_action_or_reset() invokes the cleanup action immediately when
registering the action fails.  gpio_exar_probe() currently stores the
allocated ID in exar_gpio only after registering the action, so that
failure makes exar_devm_ida_free() release ID 0.  If the allocated ID is
nonzero, this leaks that ID and can free ID 0 belonging to another device.

Store the ID before registering the cleanup action so both the immediate
failure path and normal device teardown release the correct allocation.

---

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