The Linux kernel’s thermal core failed to wait for the completion of a thermal zone device’s removal after a registration failure. As a result, if a thread still holds a reference to the device’s kobject, it may be freed prematurely by another part of the kernel, causing a use‑after‑free. This kernel fault can lead to a crash and bring the system down. Based on the description, it is inferred that the flaw can be triggered by code that forces a thermal zone registration to fail, which typically requires a privileged or local attacker capable of executing kernel‑level code.

All releases of the Linux kernel built before the applied fix are affected. The vulnerability applies to the entire Linux:Linux product family, and any vendor that ships an unpatched kernel image will be vulnerable. Because the specific version range is not enumerated, any kernel that does not contain the referenced commit is at risk. System administrators should verify that the running kernel contains the fix or upgrade to a newer release that incorporates it.

The EPSS score of < 1% reflects a very low probability of exploitation in the wild. The CVSS score of 7.8 indicates high severity. This use‑after‑free can lead to a kernel panic and denial of service if a local attacker with kernel‑level privileges manages to trigger the faulty registration path. Though the exploitation probability is low, the potential impact remains significant because the bug occurs in the kernel and can crash the entire system. The vulnerability is not listed in CISA’s KEV catalog, so no publicly known zero‑day exploits have been reported.