In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
vfio/pci: clear vdev->msi_perm after freeing it on init failure
vfio_msi_cap_len() lazily allocates the per-device MSI permission table:
vdev->msi_perm = kmalloc_obj(struct perm_bits, GFP_KERNEL_ACCOUNT); if (!vdev->msi_perm) return -ENOMEM;
ret = init_pci_cap_msi_perm(vdev->msi_perm, len, flags); if (ret) { kfree(vdev->msi_perm); return ret; /* vdev->msi_perm left dangling */ }
When init_pci_cap_msi_perm() -> alloc_perm_bits() fails with -ENOMEM, the error path frees vdev->msi_perm but leaves the freed pointer stored in it. vdev->msi_perm is not re-zeroed later because struct vfio_pci_core_device is per-device and persists across open/close cycles, and the vfio_config_init() error path returns without calling vfio_config_free(). So the dangling pointer outlives the failed open.
That leads to two use-after-frees on the same device:
1. Reuse. The next vfio_config_init() sees the stale pointer at "if (vdev->msi_perm) return len;" and reuses the freed object. MSI config accesses in vfio_pci_config_rw_single() then dereference and call the freed perm->readfn / perm->writefn function pointers.
2. Double free. A later vfio_config_free() runs free_perm_bits() and kfree() on the already-freed object.
Fix it by NULLing vdev->msi_perm after the kfree(), matching the NULL-after-free discipline already used in free_perm_bits() and vfio_config_free().
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in vfio_pci_config_rw_single (drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci_config.c:1961) Read of size 8 at addr ffff88800fcc88d0 by task exploit/143 Call Trace: ... kasan_report (mm/kasan/report.c:595) vfio_pci_config_rw_single (drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci_config.c:1961) vfio_pci_config_rw (drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci_config.c:1986) vfio_pci_rw (drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci_core.c:1599) vfs_read (fs/read_write.c:572) __x64_sys_pread64 (fs/read_write.c:764) do_syscall_64 (arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94) ...
Followed on device close by a double free of the same object:
Oops: general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0x1f63e0e8000008: 0000 [#1] SMP KASAN NOPTI RIP: 0010:kfree (mm/slub.c:6711) Call Trace: vfio_config_free (drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci_config.c:1861) vfio_pci_core_disable (drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci_core.c:685) vfio_pci_core_close_device (drivers/vfio/pci/vfio_pci_core.c:777) vfio_df_close (drivers/vfio/vfio_main.c:602) vfio_device_fops_release (drivers/vfio/vfio_main.c:648) __fput (fs/file_table.c:512) __x64_sys_close (fs/open.c:1496) do_syscall_64 (arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94) ... Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception
| Product | Vendor Advisory | Solution File | Added | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon_linux_2023 | — | Upgrade python3-perfUpgrade kernel6.18Upgrade bpftoolUpgrade kernel-livepatch-6.18.54-121.166Upgrade kernel-toolsUpgrade kernel-livepatch-6.1.188-233.385Upgrade kernel6.18-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade kernel6.18-develUpgrade kernel6.18-debuginfoUpgrade perfUpgrade kernel6.18-modules-extra-commonUpgrade bpftool-debuginfoUpgrade perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade kernel-modules-extra-commonUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade kernel-tools-develUpgrade kernel6.18-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade kernel6.18-headersUpgrade kernel6.18-toolsUpgrade bpftool6.18-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.18-tools-develUpgrade python3-perf-debuginfoUpgrade python3-perf6.18-debuginfoUpgrade kernel6.18-modules-extraUpgrade bpftool6.18Upgrade kernel6.18-tools-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade python3-perf6.18Upgrade kernel-modules-extraUpgrade kernel-headersUpgrade kernelUpgrade perf6.18Upgrade perf6.18-debuginfoUpgrade microvm-kernel6.18Upgrade kernel-tools-debuginfo | Oct 13, 2026 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| Debian | — | Upgrade linux-6.12Upgrade linux | Sep 30, 2026 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| Redhat_linux | — | No solution exists | Oct 8, 2026 | Sep 16, 2026 |
| Vmware Photon_os | — | Use 'tdnf update' to upgrade all packages to the latest version. | Sep 30, 2026 | Sep 16, 2026 |
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