CVE intelligence and bounded remediation

CVE-2026-46036 — Linux Linux Kernel security vulnerability

High CVSS 7.8

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vfio/cdx: Serialize VFIO_DEVICE_SET_IRQS with a per-device mutex vfio_cdx_set_msi_trigger() reads vdev->config_msi and operates on the vdev->cdx_irqs array based on its value, but provides no serialization against concurrent VFIO_DEVICE_SET_IRQS ioctls. Two callers can race such that one observes config_msi as set while another clears it and frees cdx_irqs via vfio_cdx_msi_disable(), resulting in a use-after-free of the cdx_irqs array. Add a cdx_irqs_lock mutex to struct vfio_cdx_device and acquire it in vfio_cdx_set_msi_trigger(), which is the single chokepoint through which all updates to config_msi, cdx_irqs, and msi_count flow, covering both the ioctl path and the close-device cleanup path. This keeps the test of config_msi atomic with the subsequent enable, disable, or trigger operations. Drop the pre-call !cdx_irqs test from vfio_cdx_irqs_cleanup() as part of this change: the optimization it provided is redundant with the !config_msi early-return inside vfio_cdx_msi_disable(), and leaving the test in place would be an unsynchronized read of state the new lock is meant to protect.

Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Published
2026-05-27
CISA KEV
Not currently listed
Ecosystem
linux/kernel
Weaknesses
CWE-416

Affected products

  • linux / linux_kernel

Showing 1 representative product identities from 3 source matches. Confirm exact affected versions with the linked vendor and NVD evidence.

Matched remediation archetype

Use-after-free, double free, and expired resource use

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Check exposure

  • Trace ownership, references, callbacks, asynchronous tasks, and teardown paths around the affected object or resource.
  • Identify reachable inputs and timing or state transitions that can release the object while references remain.
  • Confirm affected builds, allocators, feature flags, architectures, and process privileges.

Remediate safely

  • Apply the maintained ownership or lifetime fix and rebuild all artifacts containing the affected native code.
  • Use explicit ownership, safe reference management, cancellation and join semantics, and idempotent teardown.
  • Add deterministic lifetime tests plus isolated sanitizer and concurrency coverage for shutdown and error paths.

Authoritative sources

Complete CVE record and remediation plan

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