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

vc_screen: fix null-ptr-deref in vcs_notifier() during concurrent vcs_write

A KASAN null-ptr-deref was observed in vcs_notifier():

BUG: KASAN: null-ptr-deref in vcs_notifier+0x98/0x130
Read of size 2 at addr qmp_cmd_name: qmp_capabilities, arguments: {}

The issue is a race condition in vcs_write(). When the console_lock is
temporarily dropped (to copy data from userspace), the vc_data pointer
obtained from vcs_vc() may become stale. After re-acquiring the lock,
vcs_vc() is called again to re-validate the pointer. If the vc has been
deallocated in the meantime, vcs_vc() returns NULL, and the while loop
breaks (with written > 0). However, after the loop, vcs_scr_updated(vc)
is still called with the now-NULL vc pointer, leading to a null pointer
dereference in the notifier chain (vcs_notifier dereferences param->vc).

Fix this by adding a NULL check for vc before calling vcs_scr_updated().
Published: 2026-07-19
Score: n/a
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
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History

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 12:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vc_screen: fix null-ptr-deref in vcs_notifier() during concurrent vcs_write A KASAN null-ptr-deref was observed in vcs_notifier(): BUG: KASAN: null-ptr-deref in vcs_notifier+0x98/0x130 Read of size 2 at addr qmp_cmd_name: qmp_capabilities, arguments: {} The issue is a race condition in vcs_write(). When the console_lock is temporarily dropped (to copy data from userspace), the vc_data pointer obtained from vcs_vc() may become stale. After re-acquiring the lock, vcs_vc() is called again to re-validate the pointer. If the vc has been deallocated in the meantime, vcs_vc() returns NULL, and the while loop breaks (with written > 0). However, after the loop, vcs_scr_updated(vc) is still called with the now-NULL vc pointer, leading to a null pointer dereference in the notifier chain (vcs_notifier dereferences param->vc). Fix this by adding a NULL check for vc before calling vcs_scr_updated().
Title vc_screen: fix null-ptr-deref in vcs_notifier() during concurrent vcs_write
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-07-19T11:59:32.732Z

Reserved: 2026-06-09T07:44:35.401Z

Link: CVE-2026-53385

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

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cve-icon Redhat

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cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

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