CVE-2026-89960

Full vulnerability record from the local CVENow database.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: s390/vfio-ap: fix stale pqap_hook pointer on error in vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm() In vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm(), kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook is set to &matrix_mdev->pqap_hook before the update locks are acquired and the mdev list is checked for a conflicting assignment. If another mdev is already attached to the same KVM instance, the function returns -EPERM without restoring the hook pointer, leaving kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook pointing at the failing matrix_mdev instead of the mdev that legitimately owns the KVM. Since matrix_mdev->kvm is never set on this error path, vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() will not clean up the hook when matrix_mdev is later closed. If matrix_mdev is subsequently freed, any PQAP instruction executed by the guest will dereference the stale pointer through pqap_hook_rwsem, resulting in a use-after-free. Since kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook is only set in the vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm() function and is cleared in the vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() function, a check for 'kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook != NULL' is all that is needed to determine whether it belongs to another mdev. This will alleviate the need to iterate the matrix_dev->mdev_list list to see if the kvm object is assigned to another mdev.This was introduced in v3 to alleviate the need to take the mdevs_lock while iterating the list; however, this did not prevent a potential race condition. The pqap_hook_rwsem(write) is now performed inside get_update_locks_for_kvm(), which is updated to acquire pqap_hook_rwsem(write) between kvm->lock and mdevs_lock. This ordering is consistent with the PQAP intercept path, which acquires pqap_hook_rwsem in read mode while srcu is held under vcpu->mutex, establishing the dependency: kvm->lock -> vcpu->mutex -> srcu -> pqap_hook_rwsem(read). The pqap_hook_rwsem is now released inside the release_update_locks_for_kvm(), which is updated to release pqap_hook_rwsem(write) between mdevs_lock and kvm->lock. Additionally, kvm_put_kvm() in vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() is moved after release_update_locks_for_kvm(). Previously it was called while kvm->lock was held; if it were ever the last reference, kvm_destroy_vm() would run under kvm->lock, which would deadlock.

Severity

HIGH

CVSS score

8.8 (v3.1)

Vulnerability status

Received

Source identifier

416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

Published

2026-09-16 11:17:06.437000

Last modified

2026-10-30 13:20:37.093000

View original CVE JSON

{
  "id": "CVE-2026-89960",
  "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
  "published": "2026-09-16T11:17:06.437",
  "lastModified": "2026-10-30T13:20:37.093",
  "vulnStatus": "Received",
  "cveTags": [],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\ns390/vfio-ap: fix stale pqap_hook pointer on error in vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm()\n\nIn vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm(), kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook is set to\n&matrix_mdev->pqap_hook before the update locks are acquired and the\nmdev list is checked for a conflicting assignment. If another mdev is\nalready attached to the same KVM instance, the function returns -EPERM\nwithout restoring the hook pointer, leaving kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook\npointing at the failing matrix_mdev instead of the mdev that legitimately\nowns the KVM.\n\nSince matrix_mdev->kvm is never set on this error path,\nvfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() will not clean up the hook when matrix_mdev\nis later closed. If matrix_mdev is subsequently freed, any PQAP\ninstruction executed by the guest will dereference the stale pointer\nthrough pqap_hook_rwsem, resulting in a use-after-free.\n\nSince kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook is only set in the vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm()\nfunction and is cleared in the vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() function, a check\nfor 'kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook != NULL' is all that is needed to determine\nwhether it belongs to another mdev. This will alleviate the need to iterate\nthe matrix_dev->mdev_list list to see if the kvm object is assigned to\nanother mdev.This was introduced in v3 to alleviate the need to take the\nmdevs_lock while iterating the list; however, this did not prevent a\npotential race condition.\n\nThe pqap_hook_rwsem(write) is now performed inside\nget_update_locks_for_kvm(), which is updated to acquire\npqap_hook_rwsem(write) between kvm->lock and mdevs_lock. This ordering\nis consistent with the PQAP intercept path, which acquires pqap_hook_rwsem\nin read mode while srcu is held under vcpu->mutex, establishing the\ndependency: kvm->lock -> vcpu->mutex -> srcu -> pqap_hook_rwsem(read).\n\nThe pqap_hook_rwsem is now released inside the\nrelease_update_locks_for_kvm(), which is updated to release\npqap_hook_rwsem(write) between mdevs_lock and kvm->lock.\n\nAdditionally, kvm_put_kvm() in vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() is moved\nafter release_update_locks_for_kvm(). Previously it was called while\nkvm->lock was held; if it were ever the last reference, kvm_destroy_vm()\nwould run under kvm->lock, which would deadlock."
    }
  ],
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "product": "Linux",
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "programFiles": [
            "drivers/s390/crypto/vfio_ap_ops.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "versions": [
            {
              "version": "86956e70761b3292156d668e87126844334dd71b",
              "lessThan": "d6b7b166d5310fa3e4d5802c4177a0264d9140bd",
              "versionType": "git",
              "status": "affected"
            },
            {
              "version": "86956e70761b3292156d668e87126844334dd71b",
              "lessThan": "eb6cc898501a004c0fa8aab951351d9c959b91cc",
              "versionType": "git",
              "status": "affected"
            },
            {
              "version": "86956e70761b3292156d668e87126844334dd71b",
              "lessThan": "6a180adafc2a8a5fbe815985c71b2201e93ab5e1",
              "versionType": "git",
              "status": "affected"
            },
            {
              "version": "86956e70761b3292156d668e87126844334dd71b",
              "lessThan": "fc069d00a0dbef40042fd681554d48dcd5a1d524",
              "versionType": "git",
              "status": "affected"
            },
            {
              "version": "86956e70761b3292156d668e87126844334dd71b",
              "lessThan": "13bfc94eef389bd664ffc67b00184919902c938a",
              "versionType": "git",
              "status": "affected"
            },
            {
              "version": "86956e70761b3292156d668e87126844334dd71b",
              "lessThan": "4400270ec0348d05dc0439d8f0130853ce7f9e20",
              "versionType": "git",
              "status": "affected"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "vendor": "Linux",
          "product": "Linux",
          "defaultStatus": "affected",
          "programFiles": [
            "drivers/s390/crypto/vfio_ap_ops.c"
          ],
          "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
          "versions": [
            {
              "version": "5.15",
              "status": "affected"
            },
            {
              "version": "0",
              "lessThan": "5.15",
              "versionType": "semver",
              "status": "unaffected"
            },
            {
              "version": "6.1.191",
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.1.*",
              "versionType": "semver",
              "status": "unaffected"
            },
            {
              "version": "6.6.157",
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.6.*",
              "versionType": "semver",
              "status": "unaffected"
            },
            {
              "version": "6.12.110",
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*",
              "versionType": "semver",
              "status": "unaffected"
            },
            {
              "version": "6.18.51",
              "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*",
              "versionType": "semver",
              "status": "unaffected"
            },
            {
              "version": "7.2.5",
              "lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*",
              "versionType": "semver",
              "status": "unaffected"
            },
            {
              "version": "7.3",
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix",
              "status": "unaffected"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "type": "Secondary",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "3.1",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "baseScore": 8.8,
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "attackVector": "LOCAL",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "scope": "CHANGED",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "exploitabilityScore": 2.0,
        "impactScore": 6.0
      }
    ]
  },
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/13bfc94eef389bd664ffc67b00184919902c938a",
      "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
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    {
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      "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6a180adafc2a8a5fbe815985c71b2201e93ab5e1",
      "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d6b7b166d5310fa3e4d5802c4177a0264d9140bd",
      "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
    },
    {
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      "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fc069d00a0dbef40042fd681554d48dcd5a1d524",
      "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
    }
  ]
}