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Linux Kernel EUVDEUVD-2026-103709

| CVE-2026-98469 HIGH
2026-10-18 Linux GHSA-vcw8-qqhm-h682
7.1
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: Linux
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Execute code inside AArch32 KVM guest
  2. Exploit
    Access DBGBXVR<n> breakpoint register (Op2 1)
  3. Impact
    Hit KVM_BUG_ON(), VM marked dead (DoS)

Vulnerability Assessment

Exploitation Conditions

Requires an arm64 host with KVM enabled that is running a 32-bit (AArch32) guest, and the attacker must be able to execute an access to the DBGBXVR<n> debug/breakpoint register from within that guest. Limiting factors: the flaw is unreachable on AArch64-only guests, on non-virtualization Linux deployments, and on non-arm64 architectures; exploitation is local to the guest (AV:L), produces only availability loss (the VM is marked dead), and exposes no data. It is a regression affecting kernels from the accessor-consolidation change up to the fixed stable releases (6.18.55, 7.2.9, 7.3-rc5).

Impact

This is a low-urgency availability bug, not a high-impact priority despite the 7.1 CVSS. The CVSS vector (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H) correctly reflects a local, denial-of-service-only impact (C:N/I:N/A:H) reachable across a scope boundary (S:C, guest-to-hypervisor), with no confidentiality or integrity exposure. The 'attacker' here is code running inside an AArch32 (32-bit) guest on an arm64 KVM host; triggering the flaw requires access to that guest, so the practical blast radius is a guest DoSing the VM it runs in via KVM_BUG_ON() marking the VM dead. Exploitation signals are weak and mutually consistent: EPSS is 0.20% (9th percentile), there is no CISA KEV listing, and no PoC or exploit reference is supplied - exploitation status is 'no public exploit identified at time of analysis'. The vuln.today 'this_week' label reflects normal stable-kernel patch cadence rather than active-threat urgency. One conflict to flag explicitly: the input Tags include 'Information Disclosure', which contradicts the CVSS impact metrics (C:N, no confidentiality impact) - this is an availability/DoS issue, so treat the tag as mislabeled. CWE is N/A in the input.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

On an arm64 host running KVM, an attacker who controls a 32-bit (AArch32) guest executes an access to the DBGBXVR<n> breakpoint register. Because the register (Op2 1) is routed through demux_wb_reg(), which only handles Op2 4-7, the access hits KVM_BUG_ON() and the VM is marked dead, denying service. No public exploit identified at time of analysis; the attack requires local execution within the affected guest (AV:L).

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.2% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 24, 2026

Denial of service in Linux kernel KVM arm64 allows a local authenticated user inside a 32-bit (AArch32) guest to access DBGBXVR<n> debug registers, triggering KVM_BUG_ON and marking the VM dead. The regression affects arm64 KVM hosts running AArch32 guests after the breakpoint/watchpoint accessor consolidation up to fixed releases 6.18.55, 7.2.9, and 7.3-rc5. No public exploit was identified at time of analysis, EPSS is 0.20% (9th percentile), and the independent assessment treats this as a low-urgency availability bug despite the 7.1 CVSS.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patch: Linux 6.18.55, 7.2.9, and 7.3-rc5. Upgrade affected arm64 KVM hosts to one of these fixed kernels; the corresponding stable commits are https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8530a05b304d312fe7dfbc5df7d3e87cc31b256a, https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/af6813d16ace2765011ca1c567be86ade1d1ee8e, and https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b1bca1b1ab77f60a62087337bfe6e2f0efb9e6d, and the NVD entry is https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98469. No vendor-documented workaround is provided in the sources; if the fixed kernel cannot be deployed immediately, limiting unpatched arm64 KVM hosts to AArch64-only guests removes the affected AArch32 register path, at the trade-off of losing 32-bit guest support, but this does not replace applying the fixed kernel.

Affected VersionsENISA

Linux 3ce9f3357e9e099f02feaa002769eb99ef1138cd <6b1bca1b1ab77f60a62087337bfe6e2f0efb9e6d
Linux 3ce9f3357e9e099f02feaa002769eb99ef1138cd <8530a05b304d312fe7dfbc5df7d3e87cc31b256a
Linux patch: 6.18.55
Linux 6.14
Linux patch: 7.3-rc5
Linux 3ce9f3357e9e099f02feaa002769eb99ef1138cd <af6813d16ace2765011ca1c567be86ade1d1ee8e
Linux patch: 0
Linux patch: 7.2.9

Affected Packages

euvd linux no fix

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

KVM/arm64 emulates AArch32 guest debug-register accesses in the Linux kernel. DBGBXVR<n> is an AArch32 alias of DBGBVR<n>_EL1[63:32], and its AA32(HI) descriptor already selects the upper half. A consolidation changed DBGBXVR<n> handling from trap_bvr() to trap_dbg_wb_reg(); demux_wb_reg() only handles Op2 values 4 through 7, while DBGBXVR<n> uses Op2 1, so the unhandled access reaches KVM_BUG_ON() and the VM is marked dead. The fix maps Op2 1 to dbg_bvr[] alongside Op2 4, restoring the prior behavior. No CWE is assigned; CPE data identifies the Linux kernel (cpe:2.3:a:linux:linux:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*). EUVD lists Linux 6.14 and commit ranges from 3ce9f3357e9e099f02feaa002769eb99ef1138cd to 6b1bca1b1ab77f60a62087337bfe6e2f0efb9e6d, 8530a05b304d312fe7dfbc5df7d3e87cc31b256a, and af6813d16ace2765011ca1c567be86ade1d1ee8e, fixed in 6.18.55, 7.2.9, and 7.3-rc5. Although one source tag says Information Disclosure, the assessed impact is confidentiality-none and availability-high (VM termination).

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Severity by source

Vendor (Linux) PRIMARY 7.1 HIGH
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
vuln.today AI 6.5 MEDIUM

Triggered by privileged AArch32 register access from within a guest (AV:L, PR:L), crossing the guest/hypervisor boundary (S:C) with availability-only impact (C:N/I:N/A:H).

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

Primary rating from Vendor (Linux).

CVSS VectorVendor: Linux

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

Lifecycle Timeline

4
CVSS changed
Oct 24, 2026 - 14:22 NVD
7.1 (HIGH)
Patch available
Oct 18, 2026 - 16:02 EUVD
CVE Published
Oct 18, 2026 - 15:15 cve.org
HIGH 7.1
CVE Published
Oct 18, 2026 - 15:15 cve.org
UNKNOWN (no severity yet)

DescriptionCVE.org

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

KVM: arm64: Fix AArch32 DBGBXVR<n> handling

The consolidation of the breakpoint and watchpoint register accessors switched DBGBXVR<n> from trap_bvr() to trap_dbg_wb_reg(). The latter selects backing storage with demux_wb_reg(), which only handles Op2 values 4 through 7. Since DBGBXVR<n> uses Op2 1, an AArch32 guest access hits KVM_BUG_ON() and marks the VM dead.

DBGBXVR<n> aliases DBGBVR<n>_EL1[63:32], and its AA32(HI) descriptor already selects the upper half. Map Op2 1 to dbg_bvr[] alongside Op2 4, restoring the pre-regression behavior.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A Linux kernel KVM arm64 regression (CVE-2026-98469) allows a user inside a 32-bit guest to crash and kill their own VM by touching debug registers, affecting arm64 hosts that run AArch32 guest workloads following a recent kernel change. The blast radius is limited and requires local authenticated access within that guest, so leadership exposure centers on reliability of arm64 virtualization infrastructure used for legacy 32-bit workloads rather than external compromise risk. Organizations without such workloads or already on fixed kernel releases are effectively unaffected.

Business Impact: Low
Compensating Controls

Vendor-released patch: 6.18.55, 7.2.9, and 7.3-rc5

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 91% exploitable
Prevalence
Medium
Linux is ubiquitous, but flaw is limited to arm64 KVM hosts running AArch32 guests
Data Quality
4 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.2%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Defer
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact
Low

Priority Score

36
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +36
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

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