CVE-2026-23188

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel, specifically within the r8152 USB network adapter driver. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to trigger a device reset during a system resume operation. The issue arises from a recursive mutex lock, where the driver attempts to acquire the same lock twice, leading to a deadlock. This can cause the system to become unresponsive, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS).

This MODERATE impact flaw in the Linux kernel's r8152 USB network adapter driver allows a local attacker to trigger a Denial of Service. The vulnerability, caused by a recursive mutex lock during a system resume operation, can lead to system unresponsiveness. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, 7, 8, and 9 are not affected as the vulnerable code is not present. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 and Red Hat In-Vehicle OS are affected.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

To mitigate this issue, prevent the r8152 kernel module from loading. This can be achieved by creating a modprobe configuration file.

Create a file named /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-r8152.conf with the following content:

blacklist r8152
install r8152 /bin/true

After creating the file, regenerate the initramfs and reboot the system for the changes to take effect. This mitigation may impact functionality if the r8152 USB network adapter is required for system operation.