Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
HID: appletb-kbd: run inactivity autodim from workqueues
The autodim code in hid-appletb-kbd takes backlight_device->ops_lock
via backlight_device_set_brightness() -> mutex_lock() from two
different atomic contexts:
* appletb_inactivity_timer() is a struct timer_list callback, so it
runs in softirq context. Every expiry triggers
BUG: sleeping function called from invalid context at kernel/locking/mutex.c:591
Call Trace:
<IRQ>
__might_resched
__mutex_lock
backlight_device_set_brightness
appletb_inactivity_timer
call_timer_fn
run_timer_softirq
* reset_inactivity_timer() is called from appletb_kbd_hid_event() and
appletb_kbd_inp_event(). On real USB hardware these run in
softirq/IRQ context (URB completion and input-event dispatch).
When the Touch Bar has already been dimmed or turned off, the
reset path calls backlight_device_set_brightness() directly to
restore brightness, producing the same warning.
Both call sites hit the same mutex_lock()-from-atomic bug. Fix them
together by moving the blocking work onto the system workqueue:
* Convert the inactivity timer from struct timer_list to
struct delayed_work; the callback (appletb_inactivity_work) now
runs in process context where mutex_lock() is legal.
* Add a dedicated struct work_struct restore_brightness_work and have
reset_inactivity_timer() schedule it instead of calling
backlight_device_set_brightness() directly.
Cancel both works synchronously during driver tear-down alongside the
existing backlight reference drop.
The semantics are unchanged (same delays, same state transitions on
dim, turn-off and user activity); only the execution context of the
sleeping call changes. The timer field and callback are renamed to
match their new type; reset_inactivity_timer() keeps its name because
it is invoked from input event paths that read naturally as "reset
the inactivity timer".
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.15 | 6.18.32 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | linux | 7.0.9-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux | 7.0.0-28.28 | USN-8566-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-aws +2 | 7.0.0-1009.9 | USN-8618-1, USN-8603-1, USN-8568-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-gcp +1 | 7.0.0-1008.8 | USN-8593-1, USN-8566-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-gke | 7.0.0-1003.4 | USN-8566-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-ibm +1 | 7.0.0-1010.10 | USN-8603-1, USN-8593-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-nvidia | 7.0.0-1016.16 | USN-8663-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-nvidia-bos | 7.0.0-2016.16 | USN-8664-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-raspi | 7.0.0-1015.15 | USN-8618-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-riscv +1 | 7.0.0-28.28.1 | USN-8566-1 |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | linux +8 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-azure-7.0 | 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1 | USN-8728-2 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde-7.0 | 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-gcp-7.0 +1 | 7.0.0-1011.11~24.04.1 | USN-8728-3, USN-8728-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-hwe-7.0 | 7.0.0-28.28~24.04.1 | USN-8569-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-nvidia-7.0 | 7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1 | USN-8663-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv +23 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv-7.0 | 7.0.0-28.28.1~24.04.3 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +32 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime-6.14 +1 | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | kernel-source | 7.0.11-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:10954-1 |
Advisories 13
- WID-SEC-2026-1700 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-8728-1 linux-gcp-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-8728-2 linux-azure-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-8728-3 linux-oracle-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-8593-1 linux-ibm, linux-oracle vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 9, 2026
- USN-8664-1 linux-nvidia-bos vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 9, 2026
- USN-8603-1 linux-azure, linux-azure-fde vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 9, 2026
- USN-8663-1 linux-nvidia, linux-nvidia-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 9, 2026
- USN-8618-1 linux-aws, linux-raspi vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 9, 2026
- USN-8566-1 linux, linux-gcp, linux-gke, linux-realtime vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 7, 2026
- USN-8569-1 linux-hwe-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 7, 2026
- USN-8568-1 linux-oem-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 7, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:10954-1 kernel-devel-7.0.11-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jun 5, 2026