CVE-2026-68180
intel_th: fix MSC output device reference leak
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: intel_th: fix MSC output device reference leak intel_th_output_open() looks up the output device with bus_find_device_by_devt(), which returns the device with a reference that must be dropped after use. commit 95fc36a234da ("intel_th: fix device leak on output open()") attempted to drop the reference from intel_th_output_release(). However, a successful open replaces file->f_op with the output driver file operations before returning, so close runs the output driver release callback instead. For MSC outputs, close runs intel_th_msc_release(), which only removes the per-file iterator and does not drop the device reference taken by intel_th_output_open(). Consequently, every successful MSC output open leaks one device reference. Drop the device reference from intel_th_msc_release(), which is the release path actually used for MSC output files. Remove the now-unused intel_th_output_release() callback from intel_th_output_fops.
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
Solution
- Apply the patch to fix the reference leak.
- Update the Linux kernel.
- Remove the unused intel_th_output_release callback.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
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CVE-2026-68180.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-68180 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-2026-68180
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-2026-68180 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-68180 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': 'bf7785434b5d05d940d936b78925080950bd54dd', 'lessThan': 'ddcf2064d7ec5a8c9afa7cb74442320e443502bc', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '0fca16c5591534cc1fec8b6181277ee3a3d0f26c', 'lessThan': '26e27b8dcef1e4df6f30d8f25b3304a506d482b3', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'f9b059bda4276f2bb72cb98ec7875a747f042ea2', 'lessThan': 'caba30eb8bd321c465ecfc7d850ee85f5b353496', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '95fc36a234da24bbc5f476f8104a5a15f99ed3e3', 'lessThan': 'c3a28f9cb82425fe0835048ed3677f321e780691', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '95fc36a234da24bbc5f476f8104a5a15f99ed3e3', 'lessThan': '761b785a0cfbce43761227bc42a7f984f31f8921', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'af4b9467296b9a16ebc008147238070236982b6d', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '64015cbf06e8bb75b81ae95b997e847b55280f7f', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b71e64ef7ff9443835d1333e3e80ab1e49e5209f', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.6.122', 'lessThan': '6.6.148', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.12.68', 'lessThan': '6.12.101', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.18.8', 'lessThan': '6.18.42', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '5.10.249', 'lessThan': '5.11', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '5.15.199', 'lessThan': '5.16', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.1.162', 'lessThan': '6.2', 'versionType': 'semver'}], 'programFiles': ['drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c', 'drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/msu.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.19'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '6.19', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.6.148', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.6.*'}, {'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/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c', 'drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/msu.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] [{'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': 'bf7785434b5d05d940d936b78925080950bd54dd', 'lessThan': 'ddcf2064d7ec5a8c9afa7cb74442320e443502bc', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '0fca16c5591534cc1fec8b6181277ee3a3d0f26c', 'lessThan': '26e27b8dcef1e4df6f30d8f25b3304a506d482b3', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'f9b059bda4276f2bb72cb98ec7875a747f042ea2', 'lessThan': 'caba30eb8bd321c465ecfc7d850ee85f5b353496', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '95fc36a234da24bbc5f476f8104a5a15f99ed3e3', 'lessThan': 'c3a28f9cb82425fe0835048ed3677f321e780691', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '95fc36a234da24bbc5f476f8104a5a15f99ed3e3', 'lessThan': '761b785a0cfbce43761227bc42a7f984f31f8921', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'af4b9467296b9a16ebc008147238070236982b6d', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '64015cbf06e8bb75b81ae95b997e847b55280f7f', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b71e64ef7ff9443835d1333e3e80ab1e49e5209f', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.6.122', 'lessThan': '6.6.148', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.12.68', 'lessThan': '6.12.101', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.18.8', 'lessThan': '6.18.42', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '5.10.249', 'lessThan': '5.11', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '5.15.199', 'lessThan': '5.16', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.1.162', 'lessThan': '6.2', 'versionType': 'semver'}], 'programFiles': ['drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c', 'drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/msu.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.19'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '6.19', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.6.148', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.6.*'}, {'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/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c', 'drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/msu.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] -
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': 'bf7785434b5d05d940d936b78925080950bd54dd', 'lessThan': 'ddcf2064d7ec5a8c9afa7cb74442320e443502bc', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '0fca16c5591534cc1fec8b6181277ee3a3d0f26c', 'lessThan': '26e27b8dcef1e4df6f30d8f25b3304a506d482b3', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'f9b059bda4276f2bb72cb98ec7875a747f042ea2', 'lessThan': 'caba30eb8bd321c465ecfc7d850ee85f5b353496', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '95fc36a234da24bbc5f476f8104a5a15f99ed3e3', 'lessThan': 'c3a28f9cb82425fe0835048ed3677f321e780691', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '95fc36a234da24bbc5f476f8104a5a15f99ed3e3', 'lessThan': '761b785a0cfbce43761227bc42a7f984f31f8921', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'af4b9467296b9a16ebc008147238070236982b6d', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '64015cbf06e8bb75b81ae95b997e847b55280f7f', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': 'b71e64ef7ff9443835d1333e3e80ab1e49e5209f', 'versionType': 'git'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.6.122', 'lessThan': '6.6.148', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.12.68', 'lessThan': '6.12.101', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.18.8', 'lessThan': '6.18.42', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '5.10.249', 'lessThan': '5.11', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '5.15.199', 'lessThan': '5.16', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.1.162', 'lessThan': '6.2', 'versionType': 'semver'}], 'programFiles': ['drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c', 'drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/msu.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'unaffected'}, {'repo': 'https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git', 'vendor': 'Linux', 'product': 'Linux', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '6.19'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '0', 'lessThan': '6.19', 'versionType': 'semver'}, {'status': 'unaffected', 'version': '6.6.148', 'versionType': 'semver', 'lessThanOrEqual': '6.6.*'}, {'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/hwtracing/intel_th/core.c', 'drivers/hwtracing/intel_th/msu.c'], 'defaultStatus': 'affected'}] Added Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: intel_th: fix MSC output device reference leak intel_th_output_open() looks up the output device with bus_find_device_by_devt(), which returns the device with a reference that must be dropped after use. commit 95fc36a234da ("intel_th: fix device leak on output open()") attempted to drop the reference from intel_th_output_release(). However, a successful open replaces file->f_op with the output driver file operations before returning, so close runs the output driver release callback instead. For MSC outputs, close runs intel_th_msc_release(), which only removes the per-file iterator and does not drop the device reference taken by intel_th_output_open(). Consequently, every successful MSC output open leaks one device reference. Drop the device reference from intel_th_msc_release(), which is the release path actually used for MSC output files. Remove the now-unused intel_th_output_release() callback from intel_th_output_fops. Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/26e27b8dcef1e4df6f30d8f25b3304a506d482b3 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/761b785a0cfbce43761227bc42a7f984f31f8921 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c3a28f9cb82425fe0835048ed3677f321e780691 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/caba30eb8bd321c465ecfc7d850ee85f5b353496 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ddcf2064d7ec5a8c9afa7cb74442320e443502bc