CVE-2026-53386 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 07/19/2026
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
iio: adc: ti-ads1298: add bounds check to pga_settings index
ads1298_pga_settings has 7 elements but ADS1298_MASK_CH_PGA can yield values 0-7. If it yields a value >= 7, this causes an out-of-bounds array access. Add a bounds check and return -EINVAL if the index is out of range.
Note that the remaining value b111 is reserved so should not be seen in a correctly functioning system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2026
The vulnerability resides within the Linux kernel's industrial input/output subsystem, specifically in the ti-ads1298 driver responsible for managing Texas Instruments' ADS1298 8-channel, 24-bit analog-to-digital converter. This device operates as a critical component in industrial and medical applications where precise data acquisition is essential. The flaw manifests as an insufficient bounds checking mechanism within the driver's PGA (Programmable Gain Amplifier) settings management code.
The technical implementation involves the ads1298_pga_settings array which contains exactly seven elements indexed from 0 to 6, while the ADS1298_MASK_CH_PGA bit field can produce values ranging from 0 to 7. This discrepancy creates a clear out-of-bounds memory access scenario when the bit field value equals 7, causing the driver to attempt accessing array index 7 which does not exist within the allocated seven-element array. Such memory corruption represents a classic buffer overflow vulnerability that could potentially lead to system instability or arbitrary code execution.
This vulnerability impacts the operational integrity of systems relying on the ADS1298 ADC for critical data acquisition processes, particularly in industrial control systems and medical devices where reliability is paramount. The out-of-bounds access could result in kernel memory corruption, leading to system crashes, data loss, or potentially exploitable conditions that might allow privilege escalation. Given that the ADS1298_MASK_CH_PGA bit field value of 111 (decimal 7) is reserved according to the device specification, legitimate system operation should never produce this value, making the vulnerability more subtle and potentially harder to detect during normal operation.
The fix implements a straightforward bounds checking mechanism that validates the PGA settings index against the array size before attempting any array access operations. When an invalid index value is detected, the driver properly returns -EINVAL to indicate an invalid argument error, preventing the out-of-bounds memory access while maintaining proper error handling semantics. This approach aligns with security best practices for input validation and follows the principle of least privilege in kernel space operations.
This vulnerability type maps directly to CWE-129, which specifically addresses insufficient bounds checking, and represents a common pattern of buffer overflow issues that occur when software fails to validate array indices against their actual boundaries. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a broader exploitation chain targeting kernel memory corruption, potentially enabling privilege escalation or denial-of-service conditions that would affect the availability of industrial control systems. The mitigation strategy focuses on defensive programming practices and proper input validation which are fundamental requirements for maintaining system security and stability in embedded and industrial computing environments.
The resolution demonstrates the importance of thorough input validation in kernel drivers where malformed data from hardware registers can lead to critical memory safety issues. This vulnerability highlights the need for comprehensive testing of edge cases, particularly when dealing with bit field operations that may produce values outside expected ranges, even when such values are theoretically reserved or invalid according to device specifications.