In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
arm64/fpsimd: signal: Allocate SSVE storage when restoring ZA
The code to restore a ZA context doesn't attempt to allocate the task's sve_state before setting TIF_SME. Consequently, restoring a ZA context can place a task into an invalid state where TIF_SME is set but the task's sve_state is NULL.
In legitimate but uncommon cases where the ZA signal context was NOT created by the kernel in the context of the same task (e.g. if the task is saved/restored with something like CRIU), we have no guarantee that sve_state had been allocated previously. In these cases, userspace can enter streaming mode without trapping while sve_state is NULL, causing a later NULL pointer dereference when the kernel attempts to store the register state:
| # ./sigreturn-za | Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000000 | Mem abort info: | ESR = 0x0000000096000046 | EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits | SET = 0, FnV = 0 | EA = 0, S1PTW = 0 | FSC = 0x06: level 2 translation fault | Data abort info: | ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000046, ISS2 = 0x00000000 | CM = 0, WnR = 1, TnD = 0, TagAccess = 0 | GCS = 0, Overlay = 0, DirtyBit = 0, Xs = 0 | user pgtable: 4k pages, 52-bit VAs, pgdp=0000000101f47c00 | [0000000000000000] pgd=08000001021d8403, p4d=0800000102274403, pud=0800000102275403, pmd=0000000000000000 | Internal error: Oops: 0000000096000046 [#1] SMP | Modules linked in: | CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 153 Comm: sigreturn-za Not tainted 6.19.0-rc1 #1 PREEMPT | Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT) | pstate: 214000c9 (nzCv daIF +PAN -UAO -TCO +DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) | pc : sve_save_state+0x4/0xf0 | lr : fpsimd_save_user_state+0xb0/0x1c0 | sp : ffff80008070bcc0 | x29: ffff80008070bcc0 x28: fff00000c1ca4c40 x27: 63cfa172fb5cf658 | x26: fff00000c1ca5228 x25: 0000000000000000 x24: 0000000000000000 | x23: 0000000000000000 x22: fff00000c1ca4c40 x21: fff00000c1ca4c40 | x20: 0000000000000020 x19: fff00000ff6900f0 x18: 0000000000000000 | x17: fff05e8e0311f000 x16: 0000000000000000 x15: 028fca8f3bdaf21c | x14: 0000000000000212 x13: fff00000c0209f10 x12: 0000000000000020 | x11: 0000000000200b20 x10: 0000000000000000 x9 : fff00000ff69dcc0 | x8 : 00000000000003f2 x7 : 0000000000000001 x6 : fff00000c1ca5b48 | x5 : fff05e8e0311f000 x4 : 0000000008000000 x3 : 0000000000000000 | x2 : 0000000000000001 x1 : fff00000c1ca5970 x0 : 0000000000000440 | Call trace: | sve_save_state+0x4/0xf0 (P) | fpsimd_thread_switch+0x48/0x198 | __switch_to+0x20/0x1c0 | __schedule+0x36c/0xce0 | schedule+0x34/0x11c | exit_to_user_mode_loop+0x124/0x188 | el0_interrupt+0xc8/0xd8 | __el0_irq_handler_common+0x18/0x24 | el0t_64_irq_handler+0x10/0x1c | el0t_64_irq+0x198/0x19c | Code: 54000040 d51b4408 d65f03c0 d503245f (e5bb5800) | ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---
Fix this by having restore_za_context() ensure that the task's sve_state is allocated, matching what we do when taking an SME trap. Any live SVE/SSVE state (which is restored earlier from a separate signal context) must be preserved, and hence this is not zeroed.
CVSS Details
- CVSS 3.1 Base Score: 5.5
- CVSS 3.1 Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H)
Covered by Rapid7
| Product | Vendor Advisory | Solution File | Added | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon_linux_2023 | — | Upgrade kernel6.12-tools-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-modules-extraUpgrade kernel6.12-tools-develUpgrade kernel6.12-modules-extra-commonUpgrade kernelUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade python3-perf6.12-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.12-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.12-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade kernel6.12-headersUpgrade kernel6.12-toolsUpgrade kernel-libbpf-staticUpgrade bpftool-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-livepatch-6.12.68-92.122Upgrade bpftoolUpgrade kernel-livepatch-6.1.163-186.299Upgrade kernel-libbpfUpgrade python3-perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-libbpf-develUpgrade kernel-modules-extra-commonUpgrade perf6.12Upgrade kernel6.12-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade kernel-headersUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade bpftool6.12-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.12-develUpgrade perf-debuginfoUpgrade bpftool6.12Upgrade kernel6.12Upgrade kernel-tools-develUpgrade kernel-tools-debuginfoUpgrade python3-perfUpgrade perf6.12-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.12-libbpf-staticUpgrade kernel6.12-libbpf-develUpgrade perfUpgrade kernel-libbpf-debuginfoUpgrade python3-perf6.12Upgrade kernel6.12-modules-extraUpgrade kernel-toolsUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade kernel6.12-libbpf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.12-libbpf | Mar 9, 2026 | Feb 4, 2026 |
| Debian | — | Upgrade linuxUpgrade linux-6.1 | Feb 11, 2026 | Feb 11, 2026 |
| Oracle_linux | — | Upgrade kernel-uek | Mar 25, 2026 | Feb 4, 2026 |
| Redhat_linux | — | No solution exists | Jul 17, 2026 | Feb 4, 2026 |
| Ubuntu | — | Upgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1021-gcpUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1019-oracleUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1021-azureUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1054-gke-64kUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-intel-iot-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-gcp-6.17Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1054-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-azure-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1056-azureUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-117-genericUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1054-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04bUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1018-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-2045-raspi-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-gkeop-6.8Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1059-azureUpgrade linux-image-virtualUpgrade linux-image-xilinx-zynqmpUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1041-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-64k-6.17Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1032-xilinxUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-117-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1031-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-azure-6.8Upgrade linux-image-realtime-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-raspi-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04dUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1055-ibmUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-aws-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-generic-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1018-azure-fdeUpgrade linux-image-gcpUpgrade linux-image-gcp-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gkeUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1019-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-64k-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1059-azure-fipsUpgrade linux-image-gcp-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-azure-fde-6.17Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-tegra-rt-6.8Upgrade linux-image-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-xilinxUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04aUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1055-awsUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-64k-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-intel-iotgUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04Upgrade linux-image-generic-lpaeUpgrade linux-image-oracleUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-tegra-6.8Upgrade linux-image-azure-fipsUpgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-6.17Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1058-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1058-gcpUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1055-aws-fipsUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1021-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1031-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-6.8Upgrade linux-image-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-6.8Upgrade linux-image-ibmUpgrade linux-image-ibm-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-raspi-6.8Upgrade linux-image-aws-fipsUpgrade linux-image-raspi-realtime-6.8Upgrade linux-image-raspiUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-6.17Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-tegraUpgrade linux-image-genericUpgrade linux-image-azure-6.17Upgrade linux-image-oem-6.17Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-tegra-rtUpgrade linux-image-fipsUpgrade linux-image-aws-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1056-raspiUpgrade linux-image-realtime-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-oracle-64k-6.17Upgrade linux-image-gke-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1058-gcp-fipsUpgrade linux-image-oracle-6.17Upgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-ibm-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gke-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-fips-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-64k-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-aws-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-117-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1054-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1054-gkeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1024-nvidia-tegraUpgrade linux-image-6.17.0-1030-oemUpgrade linux-image-ibm-classicUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatency-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-64kUpgrade linux-image-aws-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gke-6.8Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1055-aws-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.1-1051-realtimeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1054-nvidia-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1024-nvidia-tegra-rtUpgrade linux-image-azure-fdeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-116-fipsUpgrade linux-image-realtime-6.17Upgrade linux-image-oem-24.04cUpgrade linux-image-generic-64k-6.8Upgrade linux-image-gcp-fipsUpgrade linux-image-aws-6.8Upgrade linux-image-xilinx-6.8Upgrade linux-image-virtual-6.8Upgrade linux-image-azure-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-realtime-6.8.1Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-hwe-22.04Upgrade linux-image-kvmUpgrade linux-image-azureUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-117-lowlatency-64k | May 25, 2026 | May 19, 2026 |
| Vmware Photon_os | — | Use 'tdnf update' to upgrade all packages to the latest version. | May 27, 2026 | Feb 4, 2026 |
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