Linux Kernel up to 7.1.8 fbdev bitblit.c bit_cursor out-of-bounds

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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5.1$0-$5k2.16

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in Linux Kernel up to 7.1.8. Impacted is the function bit_cursor of the file drivers/video/fbdev/core/bitblit.c of the component fbdev. The manipulation results in out-of-bounds. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-74635. Attacking locally is a requirement. No exploit is available.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in Linux Kernel up to 7.1.8. Affected is the function bit_cursor of the file drivers/video/fbdev/core/bitblit.c of the component fbdev. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a out-of-bounds vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-125. The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fbdev: bitblit: bound-check glyph index in bit_cursor() bit_cursor() fetches the glyph under the cursor with c = scr_readw(vc_pos); src = vc_font.data + ((c & charmask) * w * height); where charmask is 0x1ff when vc_hi_font_mask is set. The screen buffer value comes directly from scr_readw() and may be larger than the current font's glyph count. Syzkaller triggers this via vcs_write(). The Call Trace shows vcs_write() in vc_screen.c writing an arbitrary 16-bit value with writev() to /dev/vcsa, which vcs_write_buf() in vc_screen.c stores via vcs_scr_writew() without checking charcount. The stored value is later read in bit_cursor() in bitblit.c. When the font is changed from a font with 512 glyphs to a font with 256 glyphs, the screen buffer can retain characters with the high bit set from the previous mode, which could also produce the same out-of-bounds access. BUG: KASAN: global-out-of-bounds in soft_cursor+0x378/0x6bc drivers/video/fbdev/core/softcursor.c:70 Read of size 16 at addr ffff800086c57970 Call Trace: soft_cursor+0x378/0x6bc drivers/video/fbdev/core/softcursor.c:70 bit_cursor+0xa90/0x1108 drivers/video/fbdev/core/bitblit.c:365 fbcon_cursor+0x344/0x498 drivers/video/fbdev/core/fbcon.c:1427 hide_cursor+0xdc/0x2d0 drivers/tty/vt/vt.c:883 update_region+0x100/0x18c drivers/tty/vt/vt.c:669 vcs_write+0x8ec/0xaf0 drivers/tty/vt/vc_screen.c:685 bit_putcs_aligned() and bit_putcs_unaligned() already clamp the glyph index to vc_font.charcount. Apply the same clamp in bit_cursor() after extracting the attribute and masking, before indexing fontdata. The fix completes the bounds checking started in commit 18c4ef4e765a ("fbdev: bitblit: bound-check glyph index in bit_putcs*"), which missed the cursor path. This change should be safe because the clamp reuses the existing contract from fbcon: charcount is maintained under console_lock in con_font_set() and fbcon_font_set(), and hi_font_mask is cleared when switching from 512 to 256 glyphs. When stale screen data with high bits remains after a font switch, or when vcs_write() stores an arbitrary value, clamping the index to 0 prevents the out-of-bounds read without changing cursor semantics — the same fallback bit_putcs uses.

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2026-74635 since 08/15/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. Local access is required to approach this attack. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit.

Upgrading to version 5.10.265, 5.15.216, 6.1.183, 6.6.152, 6.12.104, 6.18.45 or 7.1.9 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 250159ace2dc53c1bdad267aa8da51b638748700/46336f476484f36145e5117e72d7b590f47433ee/bf750cfeacf4e47ac72dadc7f05839696efb8576/94134d70abf9273b70499d97d0adc9185ef21091/c1e7351767dd30fc574395c82121e4c67b882da3/bc9db0d879c655d5dfd8add32fd60f13e65d132c/9ea879862e66e354e616028c31b39aa3eb6d35d8/e033cbf3975a8465f879ebd5989dc35b04423a4d is able to eliminate this problem.

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Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.1

VulDB Base Score: 5.3
VulDB Temp Score: 5.1
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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

Exploitinginfo

Class: Out-of-bounds
CWE: CWE-125 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 5.10.265/5.15.216/6.1.183/6.6.152/6.12.104/6.18.45/7.1.9
Patch: 250159ace2dc53c1bdad267aa8da51b638748700/46336f476484f36145e5117e72d7b590f47433ee/bf750cfeacf4e47ac72dadc7f05839696efb8576/94134d70abf9273b70499d97d0adc9185ef21091/c1e7351767dd30fc574395c82121e4c67b882da3/bc9db0d879c655d5dfd8add32fd60f13e65d132c/9ea879862e66e354e616028c31b39aa3eb6d35d8/e033cbf3975a8465f879ebd5989dc35b04423a4d

Timelineinfo

08/15/2026 CVE reserved
08/22/2026 +7 days Advisory disclosed
08/22/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
08/22/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-74635 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-74635
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-394410

Entryinfo

Created: 08/22/2026 18:25
Changes: 08/22/2026 18:25 (60)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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