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CVE-2026-23102: arm64/fpsimd: signal: Fix restoration of SVE context

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: arm64/fpsimd: signal: Fix restoration of SVE context When SME is supported, Restoring SVE signal context can go wrong in a few ways, including placing the task into an invalid state where the kernel may read from out-of-bounds memory (and may potentially take a fatal fault) and/or may kill the task with a SIGKILL. (1) Restoring a context with SVE_SIG_FLAG_SM set can place the task into an invalid state where SVCR.SM is set (and sve_state is non-NULL) but TIF_SME is clear, consequently resuting in out-of-bounds memory reads and/or killing the task with SIGKILL. This can only occur in unusual (but legitimate) cases where the SVE signal context has either been modified by userspace or was saved in the context of another task (e.g. as with CRIU), as otherwise the presence of an SVE signal context with SVE_SIG_FLAG_SM implies that TIF_SME is already set. While in this state, task_fpsimd_load() will NOT configure SMCR_ELx (leaving some arbitrary value configured in hardware) before restoring SVCR and attempting to restore the streaming mode SVE registers from memory via sve_load_state(). As the value of SMCR_ELx.LEN may be larger than the task's streaming SVE vector length, this may read memory outside of the task's allocated sve_state, reading unrelated data and/or triggering a fault. While this can result in secrets being loaded into streaming SVE registers, these values are never exposed. As TIF_SME is clear, fpsimd_bind_task_to_cpu() will configure CPACR_ELx.SMEN to trap EL0 accesses to streaming mode SVE registers, so these cannot be accessed directly at EL0. As fpsimd_save_user_state() verifies the live vector length before saving (S)SVE state to memory, no secret values can be saved back to memory (and hence cannot be observed via ptrace, signals, etc). When the live vector length doesn't match the expected vector length for the task, fpsimd_save_user_state() will send a fatal SIGKILL signal to the task. Hence the task may be killed after executing userspace for some period of time. (2) Restoring a context with SVE_SIG_FLAG_SM clear does not clear the task's SVCR.SM. If SVCR.SM was set prior to restoring the context, then the task will be left in streaming mode unexpectedly, and some register state will be combined inconsistently, though the task will be left in legitimate state from the kernel's PoV. This can only occur in unusual (but legitimate) cases where ptrace has been used to set SVCR.SM after entry to the sigreturn syscall, as syscall entry clears SVCR.SM. In these cases, the the provided SVE register data will be loaded into the task's sve_state using the non-streaming SVE vector length and the FPSIMD registers will be merged into this using the streaming SVE vector length. Fix (1) by setting TIF_SME when setting SVCR.SM. This also requires ensuring that the task's sme_state has been allocated, but as this could contain live ZA state, it should not be zeroed. Fix (2) by clearing SVCR.SM when restoring a SVE signal context with SVE_SIG_FLAG_SM clear. For consistency, I've pulled the manipulation of SVCR, TIF_SVE, TIF_SME, and fp_type earlier, immediately after the allocation of sve_state/sme_state, before the restore of the actual register state. This makes it easier to ensure that these are always modified consistently, even if a fault is taken while reading the register data from the signal context. I do not expect any software to depend on the exact state restored when a fault is taken while reading the context.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2026-23102 is a Linux kernel issue on arm64 systems involving restoration of advanced vector register state after signals. In unusual local scenarios, the kernel can enter inconsistent state, read outside allocated memory, fault, or kill the task. The source says possible secret values are not exposed to userspace.

Executive priority

Treat as a moderate Linux platform reliability and isolation issue for affected arm64 fleets. Patch through normal kernel maintenance, prioritizing shared or untrusted-code environments.

Technical view

The bug is in arm64 fpsimd/SVE signal context restoration when SME is supported. Incorrect handling of SVE_SIG_FLAG_SM, SVCR.SM, TIF_SME, and related state can leave mismatched vector lengths or streaming mode state, causing out-of-bounds kernel reads, fatal faults, or SIGKILL. Fixes synchronize SVCR, TIF_SVE, TIF_SME, fp_type, and state allocation.

Likely exposure

Exposure appears limited to arm64 Linux systems with SVE/SME-capable hardware and affected kernel versions. Downstream distro exposure depends on whether their kernels include the referenced stable fixes.

Exploitation context

No active exploitation is cited, and KEV is false. Triggering requires unusual but legitimate local conditions, such as modified SVE signal context, CRIU-style context restore, or ptrace interaction during sigreturn.

Researcher notes

The source emphasizes inconsistent task state rather than direct data exposure. It says secrets may be loaded into streaming SVE registers but are not exposed because EL0 access traps and save paths validate vector length.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade to a kernel containing the referenced stable fixes.
  • Check your Linux distribution advisory for backported fixed packages.
  • Prioritize arm64 hosts running SVE/SME-capable hardware.
  • Reduce untrusted local code execution where patching is delayed.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory arm64 Linux hosts and kernel versions.
  • Identify systems using SVE/SME-capable processors.
  • Confirm whether vendor kernels include the referenced fixes.
  • Review crash, SIGKILL, or kernel fault telemetry on affected hosts.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
6

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
0ADP providers
5Source links

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

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  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

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Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux85ed24dad2904f7c141911d91b7807ab02694b5e, 85ed24dad2904f7c141911d91b7807ab02694b5e, 85ed24dad2904f7c141911d91b7807ab02694b5e, 85ed24dad2904f7c141911d91b7807ab02694b5eunaffected
LinuxLinux5.19, 0, 6.1.162, 6.6.123, 6.18.8, 6.19affected
Weakness

CWE details

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