Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
cxl/region: Fix null pointer dereference for resetting decoder
Not all decoders have a reset callback.
The CXL specification allows a host bridge with a single root port to
have no explicit HDM decoders. Currently the region driver assumes there
are none. As such the CXL core creates a special pass through decoder
instance without a commit/reset callback.
Prior to this patch, the ->reset() callback was called unconditionally when
calling cxl_region_decode_reset. Thus a configuration with 1 Host Bridge,
1 Root Port, and one directly attached CXL type 3 device or multiple CXL
type 3 devices attached to downstream ports of a switch can cause a null
pointer dereference.
Before the fix, a kernel crash was observed when we destroy the region, and
a pass through decoder is reset.
The issue can be reproduced as below,
1) create a region with a CXL setup which includes a HB with a
single root port under which a memdev is attached directly.
2) destroy the region with cxl destroy-region regionX -f.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.0 | 6.1.12 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | linux | 6.1.12-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 6.1.12-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 6.1.12-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +20 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +26 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
Advisories 1
- WID-SEC-2024-1197 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen ermöglichen Denial of Service und unspezifische Angriffe BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 9, 2026