---
id: CVE-2026-98834
title: 'kernel: mtd: core: avoid double-free of OTP NVMEM device (CVE-2026-98834)'
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Memory Technology Device (MTD)
  subsystem. An attacker capable of triggering device registration failures can
  cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via a kernel crash. During the setup of
  One-Time Programmab…
severity: medium
cvss: 4.1
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-1341
vendor: Red Hat
product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
affected:
  - enterprise_linux 10
  - enterprise_linux 6
published: '2026-10-18'
updated: '2026-10-23'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-23T21:27:56+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98834.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98834.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-98834'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2555247'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98834'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98834'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-98834.mbox
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cecf007418b93a2cbc94269e07fe2fb28f54d8fb'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/26300879cd8e4612dce66bb8f6ff7cd35fcf3e59'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00155
epssPercentile: 0.0462
ingestedAt: '2026-10-18T16:47:32.469Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's Memory Technology Device (MTD) subsystem. An attacker capable of triggering device registration failures can cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via a kernel crash. During the setup of One-Time Programmable (OTP) non-volatile memory devices, an initialization failure unregisters the device without clearing its internal reference pointer. Subsequent error handling or cleanup routines attempt to release the device a second time, resulting in a double-free condition and system instability.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 · updated 2026-10-23 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-98834.json)

**kernel: mtd: core: avoid double-free of OTP NVMEM device** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2026-10-18, updated 2026-10-23.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

## Remediation

Out of support scope