Missing validation of host max_segs in Linux kernel MMC core
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: 5 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel from 2.6.24 is affected. The max_segs field is an unsigned short, so an excessively large value set by a host driver can truncate to zero, causing the MMC core to make a zero-size allocation that leads to undefined behavior and a kernel crash. The fix adds a check in the MMC core that detects a zero segment count and returns an error.
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: mmc: core: Add validation for host-provided max_segs The max_segs field is of type unsigned short, and if a host driver sets an excessively large value, it may be truncated to zero. This can cause mmc_alloc_sg() to call kmalloc_objs() with a zero size allocation request, which leads to undefined behavior. Under the SLUB allocator, kmalloc(0) returns a special pointer (ZERO_SIZE_PTR). The subsequent 'if (sg)' check will evaluate to true, and sg_init_table() will then attempt to access invalid memory, resulting in a crash: dwmmc_rockchip 2a310000.mmc: Successfully tuned phase to 133 mmc1: new UHS-I speed SDR104 SDHC card at address aaaa Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address 0000001ffffffff0 Mem abort info: ESR = 0x0000000096000004 EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits SET = 0, FnV = 0 EA = 0, S1PTW = 0 FSC = 0x04: level 0 translation fault Data abort info: ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000004, ISS2 = 0x00000000 CM = 0, WnR = 0, TnD = 0, TagAccess = 0 GCS = 0, Overlay = 0, DirtyBit = 0, Xs = 0 user pgtable: 4k pages, 48-bit VAs, pgdp=0000000102c88000 [0000001ffffffff0] pgd=0000000000000000, p4d=0000000000000000 Internal error: Oops: 0000000096000004 [#1] SMP Modules linked in: CPU: 2 UID: 0 PID: 102 Comm: kworker/2:1 Not tainted 7.0.0-rc6-next-20260331-00013-g4d93c25963c5-dirty #80 PREEMPT Hardware name: Rockchip RK3576 EVB V10 Board (DT) Workqueue: events_freezable mmc_rescan pstate: 80000005 (Nzcv daif -PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) pc : sg_init_table+0x2c/0x50 lr : sg_init_table+0x24/0x50 sp : ffff8000837db710 x29: ffff8000837db710 x28: 000000000000c000 x27: 0000000000000300 x26: 0000000000000000 x25: 0000000000000040 x24: ffff0000c46a0000 x23: 0000000000000000 x22: ffff0000c0c73c00 x21: 0000000000000010 x20: 0000000000000010 x19: 0000000000000000 x18: 000000000000002c x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000001 x15: 0000000000000000 x14: 0000000000000400 x13: ffff8000837dc000 x12: 0000000000000000 x11: ffff0000c0c73ca0 x10: 0000000000000040 x9 : 459ec1f0abbdbb00 x8 : 0000001fffffffe0 x7 : 0000000000000000 x6 : 000000000000003f x5 : 0000000000035579 x4 : 0000000000000901 x3 : 0000000000000000 x2 : 0000000000000000 x1 : 0000000000000000 x0 : 0000000000000010 Call trace: sg_init_table+0x2c/0x50 (P) mmc_mq_init_request+0x64/0x90 blk_mq_alloc_map_and_rqs+0x3ac/0x480 blk_mq_alloc_set_map_and_rqs+0x98/0x1e0 blk_mq_alloc_tag_set+0x1c0/0x290 mmc_init_queue+0x120/0x370 mmc_blk_alloc_req+0x150/0x420 To prevent this, add a validation check in mmc_mq_init_request() to detect when sg_len (derived from max_segs) is zero. If sg_len is zero, we return an error and print an error message, allowing host driver developers to identify and fix incorrect max_segs configuration. This is a defensive measure that ensures the MMC core fails gracefully when host drivers provide invalid max_segs values, rather than crashing with a page fault.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Linux kernel fixed versions are 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111, 6.18.53 and 7.2. Red Hat lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 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 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.111, 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 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | 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 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Timeline
- 2026-10-23 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98884
- 2026-10-23 Alias added: GHSA-f98w-wx7q-xjvq
- 2026-10-26 Fix available: Linux/Linux@0 · CNA
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-06 CVSS score added · Red Hat
References
Other 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/03f5a16ec85beebabd5ab5e67ac1527f87908ded
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c465608bd25d7f8565be7817a6a36a5d69f8aa14
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a8283f7d93f0d9336b15618b9665279ff6944319
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9cca3c0c1472d6204ef8a78a6e7b3afe9610b22e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b037c2f7794aa01ee2a00e43c29645fd2dd2dfb9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3e0483e93a8be320f70a1ff68d835f7f015af311
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Sources
- CVE-2026-98884 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-98884 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-f98w-wx7q-xjvq · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-98884 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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