Vulnerability · Published Sep 16, 2026 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2026-89981arm64: Don't read GMID_EL1 when MTE is disabled

Unrated

In plain English

A security flaw in Linux from Linux. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.2% (higher than 10% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS )–Not rated
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 90.4% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsnot in CISA KEV
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: arm64: Don't read GMID_EL1 when MTE is disabled __cpuinfo_store_cpu() gates the GMID_EL1 read on the raw ID_AA64PFR1_EL1, so it reads the register even when the kernel has disabled MTE (CONFIG_ARM64_MTE=n or arm64.nomte). KVM sets HCR_EL2.TID5 in that case, and pKVM injects an UNDEF the host cannot handle: Internal error: Oops - Undefined instruction: 0000000002000000 [#1] SMP pc : __cpuinfo_store_cpu+0xf4/0x264 Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill the idle task! Only pKVM reaches it, and only after a CPU is offlined and brought back online: its CPU_ON relay sets the host HCR before the CPU enters EL1, while plain nVHE sets it at CPUHP_AP_KVM_ONLINE. Gate the read on the CPU's own ID_AA64PFR1_EL1 with the command-line override applied, and on CONFIG_ARM64_MTE, which no register reflects. The boot CPU stores its registers before init_cpu_features() strips an unsafe override, so clamp against the hardware value here too.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:14linux7.2.6-1DEBIAN-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux7.0.0-42.42UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-aws7.0.0-1016.17UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-gcp7.0.0-1016.18UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-7.07.0.0-42.42~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-ibm7.0.0-1017.17UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-bosno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-oem-7.07.0.0-1017.17UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-oracle7.0.0-1015.16UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-riscv7.0.0-42.42.1UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-7.07.0.0-42.42.1~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89981

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux f35abcbb8a084db4c24b66ccc8db0405c08e2f61 – before d2d22ff377cd43f2e9660426ff22e3cd4c534637f35abcbb8a084db4c24b66ccc8db0405c08e2f61 – before 5445d64199626974269fcdf347769ad44b0bb53b
Linux Linux 7.0

References