iommu/vt-d: Skip dev-iotlb flush for inaccessible PCIe device without scalable mode
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: 3 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: iommu/vt-d: Skip dev-iotlb flush for inaccessible PCIe device without scalable mode PCIe endpoints with ATS enabled and passed through to userspace (e.g., QEMU, DPDK) can hard-lock the host when their link drops, either by surprise removal or by a link fault. Commit 4fc82cd907ac ("iommu/vt-d: Don't issue ATS Invalidation request when device is disconnected") adds pci_dev_is_disconnected() to devtlb_invalidation_with_pasid() so ATS invalidation is skipped only when the device is being safely removed, but it applies only when Intel IOMMU scalable mode is enabled. With scalable mode disabled or unsupported, a system hard-lock occurs when a PCIe endpoint's link drops because the Intel IOMMU waits indefinitely for an ATS invalidation that cannot complete. Call Trace: qi_submit_sync qi_flush_dev_iotlb __context_flush_dev_iotlb.part.0 domain_context_clear_one_cb pci_for_each_dma_alias device_block_translation blocking_domain_attach_dev iommu_deinit_device __iommu_group_remove_device iommu_release_device iommu_bus_notifier blocking_notifier_call_chain bus_notify device_del pci_remove_bus_device pci_stop_and_remove_bus_device pciehp_unconfigure_device pciehp_disable_slot pciehp_handle_presence_or_link_change pciehp_ist Commit 81e921fd3216 ("iommu/vt-d: Fix NULL domain on device release") adds intel_pasid_teardown_sm_context() to intel_iommu_release_device(), which calls qi_flush_dev_iotlb() and can also hard-lock the system when a PCIe endpoint's link drops. Call Trace: qi_submit_sync qi_flush_dev_iotlb __context_flush_dev_iotlb.part.0 intel_context_flush_no_pasid device_pasid_table_teardown pci_pasid_table_teardown pci_for_each_dma_alias intel_pasid_teardown_sm_context intel_iommu_release_device iommu_deinit_device __iommu_group_remove_device iommu_release_device iommu_bus_notifier blocking_notifier_call_chain bus_notify device_del pci_remove_bus_device pci_stop_and_remove_bus_device pciehp_unconfigure_device pciehp_disable_slot pciehp_handle_presence_or_link_change pciehp_ist Sometimes the endpoint loses connection without a link-down event (e.g., due to a link fault); killing the process (virsh destroy) then hard-locks the host. Call Trace: qi_submit_sync qi_flush_dev_iotlb __context_flush_dev_iotlb.part.0 domain_context_clear_one_cb pci_for_each_dma_alias device_block_translation blocking_domain_attach_dev __iommu_attach_device __iommu_device_set_domain __iommu_group_set_domain_internal iommu_detach_group vfio_iommu_type1_detach_group vfio_group_detach_container vfio_group_fops_release __fput pci_dev_is_disconnected() only covers safe-removal paths; pci_device_is_present() tests accessibility by reading vendor/device IDs and internally calls pci_dev_is_disconnected(). On a ConnectX-5 (8 GT/s, x2) this costs ~70 µs. Since __context_flush_dev_iotlb() is only called on {attach,release}_dev paths (not hot), add pci_device_is_present() there to skip inaccessible devices and avoid the hard-lock.
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 | 5.12.19 to before 5.13; 5.13.4 to before 5.14 | 5.13, 5.14 | Patch available | CNA |
| Linux | Linux | 5.14 and later | 6.12.77, 6.18.17, 6.19.6, 7.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.12.19 to before 5.13; 5.13.4 to before 5.14 Fixed in 5.13, 5.14 Patch available CNA
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.14 and later Fixed in 6.12.77, 6.18.17, 6.19.6, 7.0 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 8
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.12.19 to before 5.13; 5.13.4 to before 5.14; 5.14.1 to before 6.12.77; 6.13 to before 6.18.17; 6.19 to before 6.19.6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.14 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.14 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.14 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.14 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.14 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.14 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.14 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.12.19 to before 5.13; 5.13.4 to before 5.14; 5.14.1 to before 6.12.77; 6.13 to before 6.18.17; 6.19 to before 6.19.6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.14:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.14 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.13, 5.14
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.77, 6.18.17, 6.19.6, 7.0
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-43161
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-jph2-qvw9-vvwq
- 2026-11-06 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
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- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2026-43161 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-43161 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-jph2-qvw9-vvwq · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-43161 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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