LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2026-45944: iommu/vt-d: Clear Present bit before tearing down context entry

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: iommu/vt-d: Clear Present bit before tearing down context entry When tearing down a context entry, the current implementation zeros the entire 128-bit entry using multiple 64-bit writes. This creates a window where the hardware can fetch a "torn" entry โ€” where some fields are already zeroed while the 'Present' bit is still set โ€” leading to unpredictable behavior or spurious faults. While x86 provides strong write ordering, the compiler may reorder writes to the two 64-bit halves of the context entry. Even without compiler reordering, the hardware fetch is not guaranteed to be atomic with respect to multiple CPU writes. Align with the "Guidance to Software for Invalidations" in the VT-d spec (Section 6.5.3.3) by implementing the recommended ownership handshake: 1. Clear only the 'Present' (P) bit of the context entry first to signal the transition of ownership from hardware to software. 2. Use dma_wmb() to ensure the cleared bit is visible to the IOMMU. 3. Perform the required cache and context-cache invalidation to ensure hardware no longer has cached references to the entry. 4. Fully zero out the entry only after the invalidation is complete. Also, add a dma_wmb() to context_set_present() to ensure the entry is fully initialized before the 'Present' bit becomes visible.

HighCVSS 7.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A Linux Intel VT-d flaw can expose the IOMMU to a partially erased context entry during teardown. This race may cause unpredictable behavior, false faults, or serious confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. Exploitation requires local, highly privileged access and difficult timing, so the primary concern is affected high-value systems rather than broad remote compromise.

Executive priority

Treat as a high-priority kernel maintenance issue for systems actively using Intel VT-d, especially sensitive infrastructure. It does not warrant declaring an internet-wide emergency based on current evidence. Establish exposure promptly, schedule vendor-supported updates, and monitor for new exploitation evidence.

Technical view

Linux cleared a 128-bit VT-d context entry using separate 64-bit writes, allowing hardware to observe a torn entry while its Present bit remained set. The correction clears Present first, enforces DMA write ordering, invalidates cached references, then zeroes the entry. Initialization also gains a write barrier before Present becomes visible.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to affected Linux kernels using Intel VT-d IOMMU functionality. The supplied CVSS vector indicates local access, high complexity, high privileges, no user interaction, and changed scope. The bundle names several affected and corrected versions, but does not provide sufficiently clear version-range semantics; verify distribution backports directly.

Exploitation context

The bundle marks this CVE as absent from KEV and provides no evidence of active exploitation or a public exploit. Successful abuse would require a highly privileged local position and winning a hardware-visible teardown race. Accidental triggering may also produce spurious faults or unpredictable behavior.

Researcher notes

The failure is an ownership and ordering race between CPU writes and IOMMU fetches, not merely an x86 memory-ordering issue. The fix follows the VT-d invalidation handshake. No CWE is supplied. Exact affected ranges remain ambiguous in the bundle, so downstream advisory and backport verification is essential.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply the appropriate vendor kernel update containing the referenced stable fix.
  • Check distribution advisories for backports because package versions may not match upstream releases.
  • Prioritize systems where Intel VT-d IOMMU functionality is enabled and actively used.
  • If updates are unavailable, obtain vendor-supported mitigation guidance; no workaround is documented in the supplied sources.

Validation and detection

  • Record kernel and distribution package versions on systems using Intel VT-d.
  • Confirm the vendor package includes one of the referenced fixes or an equivalent backport.
  • Verify updated systems boot successfully and retain the intended IOMMU configuration.
  • Review kernel logs for continuing IOMMU faults after remediation.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
6

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

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cve ยท low confidence lookup

CVE-2026-45944 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
0ADP providers
5Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.5CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H0.86Linux

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.5High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2026-45944Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

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

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxba39592764ed20cee09aae5352e603a27bf56b0d, ba39592764ed20cee09aae5352e603a27bf56b0d, ba39592764ed20cee09aae5352e603a27bf56b0d, ba39592764ed20cee09aae5352e603a27bf56b0dunaffected
LinuxLinux2.6.24, 0, 6.12.97, 6.18.14, 6.19.4, 7.0affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.