Linux kernel GICv5 driver delays priority drop, blocking interrupts
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 1 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The GICv5 interrupt controller driver in the Linux kernel from 6.17 performs the priority drop only when an interrupt is deactivated, not right after it is acknowledged. A long running process, such as a guest VM receiving an injected interrupt, can therefore block all other interrupts, causing a denial of service.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: irqchip/gic-v5: Immediately exec priority drop following activate With GICv5 an interrupt of equal or lower priority cannot be signalled until there has been a priority drop. This is done via the GIC CDEOI system instruction. Once this has been executed, the hardware is able to signal the next interrupt if there is one. As all interrupts are programmed to have the same priority, no new interrupts can be signalled until the priority drop has happened. This can cause issues when, for example, an interrupt remains active while a long running process takes place, such as when injecting a physical interrupt into a guest VM in software. The GICv5 driver has so far done the priority drop as part of irq_eoi(), i.e., at the same time as deactivating the interrupt. This means that any long running process (or VM) could block incoming interrupts, effectively causing a denial of service for all other interrupts. Rather than doing the EOI as part of irq_eoi() (which the name would suggest would be a good place for it), move it to happen immediately after acknowledging an interrupt in the main GICv5 interrupt handler. The deactivation of interrupts (GIC CDDI) remains implemented as part of irq_eoi(), which means that the same interrupt cannot be signalled a second time until deactivated by software.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Install Linux kernel 6.18.53 or 7.2, the fixed versions. Red Hat lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 as affected, with no fix available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.18.53, 7.2
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 |
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
Timeline
- 2026-10-23 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98878
- 2026-10-23 Alias added: GHSA-w79p-wpg5-4m55
- 2026-10-26 Fix available: Linux/Linux@0 · CNA
- 2026-10-26 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-26 CVSS score added · Red Hat
References
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98878 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98878 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-w79p-wpg5-4m55 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98878 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences