---
id: CVE-2026-89737
title: >-
  kernel: usb: typec: thunderbolt: Disable work before freeing tbt on remove
  (CVE-2026-89737)
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's USB Type-C Thunderbolt driver. The
  `tbt_altmode_remove()` function fails to properly disable and drain work items
  before freeing associated plug and cable references. This oversight can lead
  to a use-…
severity: high
cvss: 7
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-825
vendor: Red Hat
product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
affected:
  - enterprise_linux 10
  - enterprise_linux 9
  - openshift_container_platform 4
published: '2026-09-11'
updated: '2026-09-21'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-21T17:28:09+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-89737.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-89737.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-89737'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2532239'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-89737'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89737'
  - url: >-
      https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/security/vulns.git/plain/cve/published/2026/CVE-2026-89737.mbox
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0a25484fe22f621e151367a59a82330a22ac80bc'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/92090f6ff2acc81e9dd99881dcfb4f8c1bdaabd3'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ebb840d982a612261cfc8a7687735a140c6c7024'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00206
epssPercentile: 0.09445
ingestedAt: '2026-09-14T11:11:19.885Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's USB Type-C Thunderbolt driver. The `tbt_altmode_remove()` function fails to properly disable and drain work items before freeing associated plug and cable references. This oversight can lead to a use-after-free vulnerability, where the system attempts to access memory that has already been released. A local attacker could potentially exploit this to cause a system crash, leading to a denial of service, or possibly achieve arbitrary code execution.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9, Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 · updated 2026-09-21 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-89737.json)

**kernel: usb: typec: thunderbolt: Disable work before freeing tbt on remove** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2026-09-11, updated 2026-09-21.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

## Remediation

Affected