Vulnerability · Published Sep 16, 2026 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2026-89958s390/vfio-ap: Fix dereference matrix_mdev->kvm without checking for NULL

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 12% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS )–Not rated
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 88.1% 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: s390/vfio-ap: Fix dereference matrix_mdev->kvm without checking for NULL The ap_driver structure has two fields which are function pointers to callbacks: * .on_config_changed: called at the start of the AP bus scan function to notify the device driver that the host AP configuration has changed and the associated AP devices will be added or removed accordingly. This gives the implementor a chance to evaluate the configuration changes and respond to them before the associated devices are added or removed. * .on_scan_complete: Called at the end of the AP bus scan function to notify the device driver that the host AP configuration has changed and the AP devices have been added or removed accordingly. This gives the implementor the opportunity to respond to the changes after the associated devices are added or removed. These two callbacks are implemented in the vfio_ap device driver via the vfio_ap_on_cfg_changed and vfio_ap_on_scan_complete functions respectively. Within the call stack of these two callback functions the matrix_mdev->kvm->lock mutex is taken without checking whether matrix_mdev->kvm is NULL or not. If matrix_mdev->kvm has never been set, trying to take the lock will trigger a NULL pointer dereference. This patch adds checks for matrix_mdev->kvm == NULL before taking the matrix_mdev->kvm->lock mutex. Note that the matrix_mdev->kvm->lock mutex taken in the vfio_ap_mdev_hot_plug_config function is moved to the calling function along with the matrix_dev->mdevs_lock which is needed there to access the fields of the matrix_mdev. It makes little sense to make the change the check for matrix_mdev->kvm there before taking the kvm->lock mutex only to have to move it out via another patch, so it is done in this patch. It is important to make note of the following: 1. The matrix_dev->guests_lock is acquired at the start of both callback functions. This ensures that matrix_mdev will not be removed via the vfio_ap_mdev_remove function because it too takes matrix_dev_guests_lock before removing the object; so, matrix_mdev will be available for the duration of the callback functions. 2. The matrix_dev->mdevs_lock mutex must be taken in order to access fields within the matrix_mdev structure 3. matrix_mdev->kvm->lock mutex must be taken before the matrix_dev->mdevs_lock to prevent a lockdep splat. 4: The kvm->lock must be held while plugging the guest's AP configuration into its SIE state description via the vfio_ap_mdev_update_guest_apcb function. 5. The vfio_ap_mdev_update_guest_apcb checks matrix_mdev->kvm to verify it is not NULL before doing the hot plug of the guest's AP configuration.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12linuxno fix listedDEBIAN-CVE-2026-89958
Debian:13linux6.12.111-1DEBIAN-CVE-2026-89958
Debian:14linux7.2.6-1DEBIAN-CVE-2026-89958
Debian:12linux-6.126.12.111-1~deb12u1DEBIAN-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux7.0.0-42.42UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-aws7.0.0-1016.17UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-gcp7.0.0-1016.18UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeopno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-7.07.0.0-42.42~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-ibm7.0.0-1017.17UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-bosno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegrano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-oem-7.07.0.0-1017.17UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-oracle7.0.0-1015.16UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-7.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:26.04:LTSlinux-riscv7.0.0-42.42.1UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-7.07.0.0-42.42.1~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-vmwareno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-xilinxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2026-89958

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux eeb386aeb5b7c8d2dae6a3ba49255d8a97803182 – before 2fbe430fe40bc5adb7e439d0136d2c5fe34613baeeb386aeb5b7c8d2dae6a3ba49255d8a97803182 – before 5e932abfcce6189d067fffb0eb8214443bc04374eeb386aeb5b7c8d2dae6a3ba49255d8a97803182 – before 334b435b951353f934d5110c4630e0cb58d2f9a7eeb386aeb5b7c8d2dae6a3ba49255d8a97803182 – before 178ea7a1c2c3c0c01d14b8f60aa35f1e0cdc6b78eeb386aeb5b7c8d2dae6a3ba49255d8a97803182 – before 4f7e869d0db24ae07b4c888fd3bc21554eef775deeb386aeb5b7c8d2dae6a3ba49255d8a97803182 – before d50346801b4f144e42b49cd4f1496010498ab114
Linux Linux 6.0

References