Linux Kernel up to 6.18.52 genirq /proc/irq sprintf buffer overflow

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.52 and classified as critical. Affected is the function sprintf of the file /proc/irq of the component genirq. Executing a manipulation can lead to buffer overflow. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2026-97503. The attack is restricted to local execution. No exploit exists. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.52. This vulnerability affects the function sprintf of the file /proc/irq of the component genirq. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a buffer overflow vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-120. The product copies an input buffer to an output buffer without verifying that the size of the input buffer is less than the size of the output buffer, leading to a buffer overflow. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: genirq/proc: Size interrupt directory names for 10-digit interrupt numbers /proc/irq/<n>/ directory names are built in `char name[10]` buffers with `sprintf(name, "%u", irq)`. Ten-digit IRQ numbers already need 11 bytes including the trailing NUL, and current sparse-IRQ configurations allow interrupt numbers in that range. Size the temporary name buffer for the current decimal form and switch to bounded formatting when creating or removing the proc entry.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-97503 since 09/24/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack needs to be approached locally. Additional levels of successful authentication are required for exploitation. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 09/24/2026).

Upgrading to version 6.18.53 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch d4b22fbae70037299e96539c330e4a1054b28a91/c2c7983c93f5d86962318be7e7298f1bc3feb1a6 is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 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
• 6.18.52

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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