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Linux Kernel CVE-2026-89959

| EUVDEUVD-2026-80559 HIGH
2026-09-16 Linux GHSA-8mfq-hrvh-mwqh
8.8
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: Linux
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Severity by source

Vendor (Linux) PRIMARY
8.8 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI
4.6 MEDIUM

Local s390 host with vfio-ap configured (AV:L), reached via a privileged admin reconfiguration (PR:H); stale control-domain access breaks guest isolation (S:C) with bounded confidentiality/integrity and no availability impact.

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (Linux).

CVSS VectorVendor: Linux

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

6
Metadata Corrected
Sep 16, 2026 - 16:40 vuln.today
tag: KVM added
Analysis Generated
Sep 16, 2026 - 16:08 vuln.today
CVSS changed
Sep 16, 2026 - 15:22 NVD
8.8 (HIGH)
Patch available
Sep 16, 2026 - 11:03 EUVD
CVE Published
Sep 16, 2026 - 10:32 cve.org
UNKNOWN (no severity yet)
CVE Published
Sep 16, 2026 - 10:32 cve.org
HIGH 8.8

DescriptionCVE.org

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

s390/vfio-ap: Fix control domain removal in vfio_ap_mdev_cfg_remove

The vfio_ap_config_remove function uses the bitmap_andnot function to clear bits from the matrix_mdev->matrix.adm bitmap (specifies the control domains assigned to the mdev). This prevents the explicitly unplugged control domains from being removed the KVM guest. The bitmap_and function is used instead.

AnalysisAI

The s390 vfio-ap mediated device (mdev) driver in the Linux kernel fails to actually revoke crypto control-domain access when a privileged host administrator unplugs a control domain from a matrix mdev: vfio_ap_mdev_cfg_remove clears the wrong bit set with bitmap_andnot instead of intersecting with bitmap_and on the mdev's adm bitmap. The practical result is that a KVM guest on IBM Z hardware configured for AP (Adjunct Processor) passthrough retains access to control domains the host intended to remove, a residual-access/state-desynchronization condition rather than remote code execution, reached only when a host admin performs an explicit control-domain removal (CVSS 3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N). …

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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata

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Vulnerability AssessmentAI

Exploitation Requires an IBM Z / s390 host running the Linux kernel with KVM and the vfio-ap module actively passing AP (Adjunct Processor) crypto adapters and control domains through to a guest via a matrix mdev. … Additional conditions and limiting factors are described in the full assessment.
Risk Assessment The vendor CVSS of 8.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H) substantially overstates real-world risk for what is fundamentally a control-flow bug in host reconfiguration logic. … Full risk analysis with EPSS, KEV, and SSVC signal comparison available after sign-in.
Exploit Scenario Full exploit scenario with step-by-step reproduction available after sign-in.
Remediation Vendor-released patch: upgrade to a fixed stable kernel - 6.1.188, 6.6.157, 6.12.110, 6.18.51 or 7.2.5 and later (mainline fix present in 7.3-rc1) - or backport the relevant upstream commit from the references (e.g. … Detailed patch versions, workarounds, and compensating controls in full report.

Recommended ActionAI

Within 24 hours, identify all IBM Z hosts running Linux kernel with the s390 vfio-ap mdev driver and KVM AP passthrough, confirm whether any host administrator has performed a control-domain removal, and apply the vendor patch for CVE-2026-89959 as specified in your Linux distribution vendor's advisory (Patch available per vendor advisory); if immediate patching is not possible, restrict host administrator control-domain unplug actions and monitor affected guests for unexpected crypto control-domain access. …

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CVE-2026-89959 vulnerability details – vuln.today

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