CVE-2026-46001: hwmon: (pt5161l) Fix bugs in pt5161l_read_block_data()
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
hwmon: (pt5161l) Fix bugs in pt5161l_read_block_data()
Fix two bugs in pt5161l_read_block_data():
1. Buffer overrun: The local buffer rbuf is declared as u8 rbuf[24],
but i2c_smbus_read_block_data() can return up to
I2C_SMBUS_BLOCK_MAX (32) bytes. The i2c-core copies the data into
the caller's buffer before the return value can be checked, so
the post-read length validation does not prevent a stack overrun
if a device returns more than 24 bytes. Resize the buffer to
I2C_SMBUS_BLOCK_MAX.
2. Unexpected positive return on length mismatch: When all three
retries are exhausted because the device returns data with an
unexpected length, i2c_smbus_read_block_data() returns a positive
byte count. The function returns this directly, and callers treat
any non-negative return as success, processing stale or incomplete
buffer contents. Return -EIO when retries are exhausted with a
positive return value, preserving the negative error code on I2C
failure.
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This Linux kernel issue can let an unexpected hardware sensor response overwrite a small stack buffer or make the driver treat bad reads as successful. Business impact depends heavily on whether affected kernels use the pt5161l hardware-monitoring driver with relevant I2C hardware.
Executive priority
Treat as a targeted kernel reliability and memory-safety fix, not a broad internet-facing emergency. Patch during normal kernel maintenance, with higher priority for fleets using the affected hardware-monitoring driver.
Technical view
pt5161l_read_block_data() used a 24-byte stack buffer although SMBus block reads can copy up to 32 bytes before length validation. It also returned a positive byte count after retry exhaustion, causing callers to treat stale or incomplete data as success.
Likely exposure
Likely exposure is limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions where the pt5161l hwmon driver is present and reachable through relevant I2C hardware. The source bundle does not show exposure for systems without that driver/device path.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not report active exploitation, public exploit code, or CISA KEV listing. The described trigger is a device returning more data than expected or returning mismatched lengths, but weaponization evidence is not provided.
Researcher notes
The issue combines a pre-validation stack overrun with incorrect success handling after failed length retries. The source provides patch references but no CVSS, CWE, exploitability analysis, or confirmed attack scenario.
Mitigation direction
Apply a kernel update containing the linked stable fixes.
Track distribution kernel advisories for backported fixes.
Prioritize systems using the pt5161l hwmon driver and matching hardware.
Avoid assuming fixed status from version strings alone; verify vendor backports.
Validation and detection
Inventory affected Linux kernel versions and vendor kernel packages.
Confirm whether the pt5161l hwmon driver is built, loaded, or used.
Verify the relevant stable commit is included or backported.
Check vendor advisories for exact fixed package versions.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Potential ATT&CK relevance
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CVE reservedCVE Program
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CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
May 27, 2026, 12:55 UTC (UTC+00:00)
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