CVE-2026-31486

HIGH
Published Apr 22, 2026 Modified Apr 28, 2026 CWE-667

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: hwmon: (pmbus/core) Protect regulator operations with mutex The regulator operations pmbus_regulator_get_voltage(), pmbus_regulator_set_voltage(), and pmbus_regulator_list_voltage() access PMBus registers and shared data but were not protected by the update_lock mutex. This could lead to race conditions. However, adding mutex protection directly to these functions causes a deadlock because pmbus_regulator_notify() (which calls regulator_notifier_call_chain()) is often called with the mutex already held (e.g., from pmbus_fault_handler()). If a regulator callback then calls one of the now-protected voltage functions, it will attempt to acquire the same mutex. Rework pmbus_regulator_notify() to utilize a worker function to send notifications outside of the mutex protection. Events are stored as atomics in a per-page bitmask and processed by the worker. Initialize the worker and its associated data during regulator registration, and ensure it is cancelled on device removal using devm_add_action_or_reset(). While at it, remove the unnecessary include of linux/of.h.

Is your site exposed to CVE-2026-31486?

Run a free security scan — no signup, results in seconds.

CVSS v3.1 Score

7.1
HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0001
Probability of exploitation
0.02%
Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-667 CWE-667

Affected Products

Vendor Product
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-31486? +
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: hwmon: (pmbus/core) Protect regulator operations with mutex The regulator operations pmbus_regulator_get_voltage(), pmbus_regulator_set_voltage(), and pmbus_regulator_list_voltage() access PMBus registers and shared data but were not protected by the update_lock mutex. This could lead to race conditions. However, adding mutex protection directly to these functions causes a deadlock because pmbus_regulator_notify() (which calls regulator_notifier_call_chain()) is often called with the mutex already held (e.g., from pmbus_fault_handler()). If a regulator callback then calls one of the now-protected voltage functions, it will attempt to acquire the same mutex. Rework pmbus_regulator_notify() to utilize a worker function to send notifications outside of the mutex protection. Events are stored as atomics in a per-page bitmask and processed by the worker. Initialize the worker and its associated data during regulator registration, and ensure it is cancelled on device removal using devm_add_action_or_reset(). While at it, remove the unnecessary include of linux/of.h. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.1 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2026-31486? +
CVE-2026-31486 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.1 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching. The EPSS score is 0.0001, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-31486? +
CVE-2026-31486 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.
How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-31486? +
You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

Related Vulnerabilities

Don't wait for an exploit

Scan your website for vulnerabilities like CVE-2026-31486 — free, no signup required.