CVE-2026-90331

What it actually does

Use-after-free in asus_probe due to unclean teardown, unchecked input sizes in asus_raw_event allowing invalid packets, sleeping functions called from atomic context, and redundant workqueues that complicate proper resource release in the hid-asus Linux kernel driver.

Why it matters to the business

Kernel-level memory corruption on Linux systems with ASUS HID devices can lead to system crashes, denial of service, or potential local privilege escalation; widespread impact on servers, desktops, and laptops using affected kernels increases operational downtime and patch urgency across large fleets.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with local access or the ability to trigger HID events sends malformed packets or forces probe/teardown sequences that exploit the use-after-free or size-check gaps, resulting in memory corruption that can be chained for code execution or denial of service.

How to fix it

Update the Linux kernel to a version containing the hid-asus refactor that joins workqueues, adds size checks in asus_raw_event, and ensures proper teardown; rebuild and reboot systems using ASUS hardware after applying the fix.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the running kernel includes the commit that refactors the workqueues and adds the size check; inspect dmesg or source for the presence of the new single workqueue and atomic-context guards; test probe and event paths with invalid sizes.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local access or ability to interact with ASUS HID input devices
2. Trigger asus_probe or asus_raw_event with crafted data or failure paths
3. Exploit use-after-free or atomic context violation to corrupt kernel memory
4. Escalate to arbitrary code execution or cause kernel panic

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for hid-asus oops, use-after-free warnings, or workqueue-related crashes; correlate with ASUS device connection events; examine audit logs for unusual HID event patterns preceding the crash.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize kernel updates on all systems exposing ASUS HID devices
• Monitor for kernel oops or panic logs related to hid-asus
• Restrict untrusted local users until patches are deployed
• Review downstream kernel distributions for backported fixes