CVE-2026-68179
misc: nsm: only unlock nsm_dev on post-lock error paths
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: misc: nsm: only unlock nsm_dev on post-lock error paths nsm_dev_ioctl() jumps to the common out label even when the initial copy_from_user() fails before nsm->lock has been taken. The error path then blindly unlocks a mutex that was never acquired. This issue was found by our static analysis tool and then manually reviewed against the current tree. The grounded PoC kept the miscdevice ioctl entry and the pre-lock copy_from_user(&raw, argp, _IOC_SIZE(cmd)) failure path by issuing NSM_IOCTL_RAW with an invalid user pointer. That failure reaches the shared out label before mutex_lock(&nsm->lock). Lockdep reported: WARNING: bad unlock balance detected! exploit/193 is trying to release lock (&global_nsm.lock) at: nsm_dev_ioctl+0x5f/0xcf [vuln_msv] but there are no more locks to release! no locks held by exploit/193. Return immediately on the pre-lock copy_from_user() failure and keep the common unlock label for the post-lock paths only.
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 10, 2026, 1:20 p.m.
Last Modified :
Aug. 17, 2026, 5:18 a.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | HIGH | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 |
Solution
- Apply the kernel patch for misc: nsm.
- Ensure mutexes are locked before unlocking.
- Review static analysis findings.
- Validate error handling paths.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-68179.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-68179 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-68179
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-68179 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-68179 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
CVE Modified by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Aug. 17, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Changed Affected [{'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b9873755a6c8ccfce79094c4dce9efa3ecb1a749', 'lessThan': '4aa3f7d48e91eb74a363c1b4d7dbdd28f5b341fb', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b9873755a6c8ccfce79094c4dce9efa3ecb1a749', 'lessThan': '8f068342096b027181b168d91fef7ac7a2c64b25', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b9873755a6c8ccfce79094c4dce9efa3ecb1a749', 'lessThan': 'f318f5a872cb9096536e759b23ae5c9873bb80ed', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b9873755a6c8ccfce79094c4dce9efa3ecb1a749', 'lessThan': 'ce1fed11d18e163baf7f875152a33bf80f625c1a', 'versionType': 'git'}], 'programFiles': ['drivers/misc/nsm.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.8'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '6.8', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.12.101', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.12.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.18.42', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.18.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.1.6', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '7.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.2-rc5', 'versionType': 'original_commit_for_fix', 'lessThanOrEqual': '*'}], 'programFiles': ['drivers/misc/nsm.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] [{'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b9873755a6c8ccfce79094c4dce9efa3ecb1a749', 'lessThan': '4aa3f7d48e91eb74a363c1b4d7dbdd28f5b341fb', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b9873755a6c8ccfce79094c4dce9efa3ecb1a749', 'lessThan': '8f068342096b027181b168d91fef7ac7a2c64b25', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b9873755a6c8ccfce79094c4dce9efa3ecb1a749', 'lessThan': 'f318f5a872cb9096536e759b23ae5c9873bb80ed', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b9873755a6c8ccfce79094c4dce9efa3ecb1a749', 'lessThan': 'ce1fed11d18e163baf7f875152a33bf80f625c1a', 'versionType': 'git'}], 'programFiles': ['drivers/misc/nsm.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.8'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '6.8', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.12.101', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.12.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.18.42', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.18.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.1.6', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '7.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.2', 'versionType': 'original_commit_for_fix', 'lessThanOrEqual': '*'}], 'programFiles': ['drivers/misc/nsm.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] -
CVE Modified by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Aug. 13, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CVSS V3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H -
New CVE Received by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Aug. 10, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b9873755a6c8ccfce79094c4dce9efa3ecb1a749', 'lessThan': '4aa3f7d48e91eb74a363c1b4d7dbdd28f5b341fb', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b9873755a6c8ccfce79094c4dce9efa3ecb1a749', 'lessThan': '8f068342096b027181b168d91fef7ac7a2c64b25', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b9873755a6c8ccfce79094c4dce9efa3ecb1a749', 'lessThan': 'f318f5a872cb9096536e759b23ae5c9873bb80ed', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b9873755a6c8ccfce79094c4dce9efa3ecb1a749', 'lessThan': 'ce1fed11d18e163baf7f875152a33bf80f625c1a', 'versionType': 'git'}], 'programFiles': ['drivers/misc/nsm.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.8'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '6.8', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.12.101', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.12.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.18.42', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.18.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.1.6', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '7.1.*'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '7.2-rc5', 'versionType': 'original_commit_for_fix', 'lessThanOrEqual': '*'}], 'programFiles': ['drivers/misc/nsm.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] Added Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: misc: nsm: only unlock nsm_dev on post-lock error paths nsm_dev_ioctl() jumps to the common out label even when the initial copy_from_user() fails before nsm->lock has been taken. The error path then blindly unlocks a mutex that was never acquired. This issue was found by our static analysis tool and then manually reviewed against the current tree. The grounded PoC kept the miscdevice ioctl entry and the pre-lock copy_from_user(&raw, argp, _IOC_SIZE(cmd)) failure path by issuing NSM_IOCTL_RAW with an invalid user pointer. That failure reaches the shared out label before mutex_lock(&nsm->lock). Lockdep reported: WARNING: bad unlock balance detected! exploit/193 is trying to release lock (&global_nsm.lock) at: nsm_dev_ioctl+0x5f/0xcf [vuln_msv] but there are no more locks to release! no locks held by exploit/193. Return immediately on the pre-lock copy_from_user() failure and keep the common unlock label for the post-lock paths only. Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4aa3f7d48e91eb74a363c1b4d7dbdd28f5b341fb Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8f068342096b027181b168d91fef7ac7a2c64b25 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ce1fed11d18e163baf7f875152a33bf80f625c1a Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f318f5a872cb9096536e759b23ae5c9873bb80ed