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

watchdog: pretimeout: Fix UAF in watchdog_unregister_governor()

When a watchdog governor is unregistered, it updates existing watchdog
devices that were using this governor by falling back to `default_gov`.

If the governor being unregistered is currently set as `default_gov`,
the `default_gov` is never cleared. This leads to 2 use-after-free
issues:
1. New watchdog devices registered after this point will inherit the
dangling `default_gov`.
2. Existing watchdog devices using the unregistered governor will have
their `wdd->gov` reassigned to the dangling `default_gov`.

Fix the UAF by clearing `default_gov` if it matches the governor being
unregistered.

No CVSS v4.0

No CVSS v3.1

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

No EPSS score available.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions
Linux Linux unaffected
Version Status Constraints
da0d12ff2b829a35e9921918e925d79497b82bef affected < 2e47b91b9b4020fcc01def14d6b6556d66074cf4
da0d12ff2b829a35e9921918e925d79497b82bef affected < 0ca252720f0e38411cfec3431db9bb1aed0a412c
da0d12ff2b829a35e9921918e925d79497b82bef affected < 7d1658b066de30f4b23afc14814d22416a971e6e
da0d12ff2b829a35e9921918e925d79497b82bef affected < 7993d626983cc58fbde9607333cfd2d57725c197
da0d12ff2b829a35e9921918e925d79497b82bef affected < 7362ba0f9c96ac3ad6a2ca3995bd9fc9a28a8661
Linux Linux affected
Version Status Constraints
4.9 affected —
0 unaffected < 4.9
6.6.148 unaffected ≤ 6.6.*
6.12.101 unaffected ≤ 6.12.*
6.18.42 unaffected ≤ 6.18.*
7.1.6 unaffected ≤ 7.1.*
7.2-rc5 unaffected ≤ *

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References
Link Providers
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0ca252720f0e38411cfec3431db9bb1aed0a412c cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e47b91b9b4020fcc01def14d6b6556d66074cf4 cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7362ba0f9c96ac3ad6a2ca3995bd9fc9a28a8661 cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7993d626983cc58fbde9607333cfd2d57725c197 cve-icon
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7d1658b066de30f4b23afc14814d22416a971e6e cve-icon
History

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: watchdog: pretimeout: Fix UAF in watchdog_unregister_governor() When a watchdog governor is unregistered, it updates existing watchdog devices that were using this governor by falling back to `default_gov`. If the governor being unregistered is currently set as `default_gov`, the `default_gov` is never cleared. This leads to 2 use-after-free issues: 1. New watchdog devices registered after this point will inherit the dangling `default_gov`. 2. Existing watchdog devices using the unregistered governor will have their `wdd->gov` reassigned to the dangling `default_gov`. Fix the UAF by clearing `default_gov` if it matches the governor being unregistered.
Title watchdog: pretimeout: Fix UAF in watchdog_unregister_governor()
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-10T12:03:34.241Z

Reserved: 2026-07-30T09:28:09.385Z

Link: CVE-2026-68357

cve-icon Vulnrichment

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cve-icon NVD

No data.

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-08-10T16:45:03Z

Weaknesses