Linux Kernel up to 6.12.109/6.18.51/7.2.5 iommu-vt-d intel_pasid_setup_sm_context use after free

CVSS Meta Temp Score CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.	Current Exploit Price (≈) Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.	CTI Interest Score Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
9.5	$5k-$25k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as very critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.109/6.18.51/7.2.5. Impacted is the function intel_pasid_setup_sm_context of the component iommu-vt-d. Performing a manipulation results in use after free. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-90241. Remote exploitation of the attack is possible. No exploit is available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as very critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.109/6.18.51/7.2.5. This affects the function intel_pasid_setup_sm_context of the component iommu-vt-d. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: iommu/vt-d: Tear down scalable-mode context on probe failure intel_pasid_setup_sm_context() walks a PCI device’s DMA aliases via pci_for_each_dma_alias() and programs a scalable-mode context entry for each RID. For a device with a dma_alias_mask, the callback is invoked once for the device’s own RID and once for each alias bit, all with the same pci_dev, so device_pasid_table_setup() runs for multiple RIDs. pci_for_each_dma_alias() stops at the first callback error. Therefore, a failure partway through the walk can leave context entries for already processed RIDs present and still pointing to the device’s PASID table. On this error path, intel_iommu_probe_device() currently jumps directly to intel_pasid_free_table(), which frees the PASID table without first tearing down those context entries. The IOMMU may then walk a present context entry whose PASID table pointer references freed memory. intel_iommu_release_device() already performs teardown before freeing the table. Apply the same ordering on the probe failure path. device_pasid_table_teardown() safely handles RIDs that were never programmed: iommu_context_addr() returns NULL when no context table has been allocated, and clearing the Present bit of an already non-present entry is a no-op. So unwind is safe for both the alias that failed and any aliases not yet reached.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2026-90241 since 09/11/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 09/17/2026).

Upgrading to version 6.12.110, 6.18.52, 7.2.6 or 7.3-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 25ac85a9747cd63e1d166ace7b360a2cd9479d9d/d0e978ced7429b516358bb4d41d337214768ae98/db5daf25f754cdc20c18525adb88240ece6fdee9/c509fb73a1093a15accd7d43a61645d4b520f6ac is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.12.109
• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
• 6.18.23
• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 6.18.33
• 6.18.34
• 6.18.35
• 6.18.36
• 6.18.37
• 6.18.38
• 6.18.39
• 6.18.40
• 6.18.41
• 6.18.42
• 6.18.43
• 6.18.44
• 6.18.45
• 6.18.46
• 6.18.47
• 6.18.48
• 6.18.49
• 6.18.50
• 6.18.51
• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2
• 7.2.3
• 7.2.4
• 7.2.5

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 9.9
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 9.5

VulDB Base Score: 9.9
VulDB Temp Score: 9.5
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

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

Exploitinginfo

Class: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

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

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.12.110/6.18.52/7.2.6/7.3-rc1
Patch: 25ac85a9747cd63e1d166ace7b360a2cd9479d9d/d0e978ced7429b516358bb4d41d337214768ae98/db5daf25f754cdc20c18525adb88240ece6fdee9/c509fb73a1093a15accd7d43a61645d4b520f6ac

Timelineinfo

09/11/2026 CVE reserved
09/17/2026 +6 days Advisory disclosed
09/17/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
09/17/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-90241 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-90241
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-406785

Entryinfo

Created: 09/17/2026 21:09
Changes: 09/17/2026 21:09 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Discussion

Might our Artificial Intelligence support you?

Check our Alexa App!