cpu: Re-enable CPU mitigations by default for !X86 architectures
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cpu: Re-enable CPU mitigations by default for !X86 architectures Rename x86's to CPU_MITIGATIONS, define it in generic code, and force it on for all architectures exception x86. A recent commit to turn mitigations off by default if SPECULATION_MITIGATIONS=n kinda sorta missed that "cpu_mitigations" is completely generic, whereas SPECULATION_MITIGATIONS is x86-specific. Rename x86's SPECULATIVE_MITIGATIONS instead of keeping both and have it select CPU_MITIGATIONS, as having two configs for the same thing is unnecessary and confusing. This will also allow x86 to use the knob to manage mitigations that aren't strictly related to speculative execution. Use another Kconfig to communicate to common code that CPU_MITIGATIONS is already defined instead of having x86's menu depend on the common CPU_MITIGATIONS. This allows keeping a single point of contact for all of x86's mitigations, and it's not clear that other architectures *want* to allow disabling mitigations at compile-time.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.15.156 to before 5.15.158; 6.1.87 to before 6.1.90; 6.6.28 to before 6.6.30; 6.8.7 to before 6.8.9 | 5.15.158, 6.1.90, 6.6.30, 6.8.9 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.15.156 to before 5.15.158; 6.1.87 to before 6.1.90; 6.6.28 to before 6.6.30; 6.8.7 to before 6.8.9 Fixed in 5.15.158, 6.1.90, 6.6.30, 6.8.9 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 4
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.15.156 to before 5.15.158; 6.1.87 to before 6.1.90; 6.6.28 to before 6.6.30; 6.8.7 to before 6.8.9 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.9 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.9 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 10.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.15.156 to before 5.15.158; 6.1.87 to before 6.1.90; 6.6.28 to before 6.6.30; 6.8.7 to before 6.8.9 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 10.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.158, 6.1.90, 6.6.30, 6.8.9
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-35996
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-jxch-924p-fpfw
References
Patch 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/af6d6a923b40bf6471e44067ac61cc5814b48e7f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/36b32816fbab267611f073223f1b0b816ec5920f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/38f17d1fbb5bfb56ca1419e2d06376d57a9396f9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8292f4f8dd1b005d0688d726261004f816ef730a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fd8547ebc187037cc69441a15c1441aeaab80f49
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fe42754b94a42d08cf9501790afc25c4f6a5f631
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- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2024-35996 · CVE Program
- CVE-2024-35996 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-jxch-924p-fpfw · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2024-35996 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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