Linux Kernel up to 6.12.76/6.18.16/6.19.5 PCIe Endpoint pci_dev_is_disconnected privilege escalation

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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4.9$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as problematic has been detected in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.76/6.18.16/6.19.5. This affects the function pci_dev_is_disconnected of the component PCIe Endpoint. This manipulation causes an unknown weakness. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2026-43161. There is no available exploit. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.76/6.18.16/6.19.5 and classified as problematic. Affected by this vulnerability is the function pci_dev_is_disconnected of the component PCIe Endpoint. The impact remains unknown. The summary by CVE is:

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.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-43161 since 05/01/2026. The exploitation appears to be difficult. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 07/25/2026).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 329305 (openSUSE 16: cluster-md-kmp-64kb / cluster-md-kmp-azure / cluster-md-kmp-default / etc (openSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.12.77, 6.18.17 or 6.19.6 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 48b3f08e68b29a79527869cdde7298ca2a9b9646/e70d5feb10c5ba2bbf7ca400b8f39a2f82d653e8/bc0490ad9edf5c6f98e39fbbee2877b85261a5ae/42662d19839f34735b718129ea200e3734b07e50 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at Tenable (329305). Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.9

VulDB Base Score: 4.6
VulDB Temp Score: 4.4
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Privilege escalation
CWE: Unknown
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 329305
Nessus Name: openSUSE 16: cluster-md-kmp-64kb / cluster-md-kmp-azure / cluster-md-kmp-default / etc (openSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.12.77/6.18.17/6.19.6
Patch: 48b3f08e68b29a79527869cdde7298ca2a9b9646/e70d5feb10c5ba2bbf7ca400b8f39a2f82d653e8/bc0490ad9edf5c6f98e39fbbee2877b85261a5ae/42662d19839f34735b718129ea200e3734b07e50

Timelineinfo

05/01/2026 CVE reserved
05/06/2026 +5 days Advisory disclosed
05/06/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
07/25/2026 +80 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-43161 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-43161
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-361363

Entryinfo

Created: 05/06/2026 16:22
Updated: 07/25/2026 10:58
Changes: 05/06/2026 16:22 (57), 05/17/2026 14:14 (11), 07/25/2026 10:58 (4)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

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