HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2026-31728
MEDIUM

CVE-2026-31728

Published: May 1, 2026· Updated: May 7, 2026

4.7
CVSS v3.1
EPSS:0.02%probability of exploitation in 30 daysPercentile:6.8th

Official Description

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

usb: gadget: u_ether: Fix race between gether_disconnect and eth_stop

A race condition between gether_disconnect() and eth_stop() leads to a

NULL pointer dereference. Specifically, if eth_stop() is triggered

concurrently while gether_disconnect() is tearing down the endpoints,

eth_stop() attempts to access the cleared endpoint descriptor, causing

the following NPE:

Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference

Call trace:

__dwc3_gadget_ep_enable+0x60/0x788

dwc3_gadget_ep_enable+0x70/0xe4

usb_ep_enable+0x60/0x15c

eth_stop+0xb8/0x108

Because eth_stop() crashes while holding the dev->lock, the thread

running gether_disconnect() fails to acquire the same lock and spins

forever, resulting in a hardlockup:

Core - Debugging Information for Hardlockup core(7)

Call trace:

queued_spin_lock_slowpath+0x94/0x488

_raw_spin_lock+0x64/0x6c

gether_disconnect+0x19c/0x1e8

ncm_set_alt+0x68/0x1a0

composite_setup+0x6a0/0xc50

The root cause is that the clearing of dev->port_usb in

gether_disconnect() is delayed until the end of the function.

Move the clearing of dev->port_usb to the very beginning of

gether_disconnect() while holding dev->lock. This cuts off the link

immediately, ensuring eth_stop() will see dev->port_usb as NULL and

safely bail out.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2026-31728 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 4.7.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityHigh
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

Linux1 product
linux kernel
Source: NVD CPE · 2 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

All References (8)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2026-31728
CVSS Score4.7 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
CISA KEVNo
EPSS (30d)0.02%
Affected1 vendor
PublishedMay 1, 2026

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2026-31728 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.