A high-severity use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel via-sdmmc driver permits a local, authenticated attacker to achieve code execution or system instability.

This is a race condition vulnerability within the via-sdmmc driver occurring during the device removal process. An attacker with local access can exploit this flaw because the card-detect work handler may dereference memory that has already been freed, leading to a use-after-free scenario.

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows a local attacker to achieve high-impact consequences, including full system compromise and arbitrary code execution at the kernel level. With a CVSS score of 7.8, the risk is substantial for environments where local access is provided to untrusted users or where multi-tenant containers share the same underlying host kernel.

Immediate Action: Update the Linux kernel to versions 6.18.50, 7.2.4, or later, as these releases incorporate the necessary fix to cancel card-detect work during device removal.

Proactive Monitoring: Monitor system logs for kernel panic events, segmentation faults, or unusual driver-related hardware errors that may indicate an attempt to trigger this use-after-free condition.

Compensating Controls: Restrict local access to systems utilizing the via-sdmmc driver and enforce strict hardware access policies to prevent unauthorized interaction with removable storage interfaces.

Public Exploit Available: Unknown

This vulnerability represents a significant risk to kernel integrity and system stability. IT and security teams should prioritize patching the Linux kernel across all affected infrastructure, particularly on systems where hardware-level access is exposed to local users. Promptly applying the vendor-supplied updates is the only definitive method for mitigating this risk.