Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
arm64: entry: Avoid unnecessary local_irq_disable() on kernel exit
Currently, when exiting to kernel mode, we attempt involuntary
preemption. The preemption logic expects IRQs to be disabled, which is
why we call local_irq_disable() before attempting preemption.
However, depending on the context, local_irq_disable() may be
unnecessary:
- __el1_irq(), the non-NMI EL1 IRQ path, already has IRQs disabled, so
local_irq_disable() is redundant.
- irqentry_exit_to_kernel_mode_preempt() immediately returns when
exiting from an NMI-like context, so calling local_irq_disable()
beforehand is unnecessary work.
Furthermore, it confuses the pNMI state tracking when we are in a
context with interrupts disabled and the GIC_PRIO_PSR_I_SET bit is set
in the PMR, leading to a warning when
CONFIG_ARM64_DEBUG_PRIORITY_MASKING=y:
WARNING: ./arch/arm64/include/asm/irqflags.h:63 at arm64_exit_to_kernel_mode+0xb8/0xc0, CPU#40: retsnoop/31805
CPU: 40 UID: 0 PID: 31805 Comm: retsnoop Not tainted 7.2.0-rc6-next-20260805 #7 PREEMPTLAZY
pstate: 234013c9 (nzCv DAIF +PAN -UAO +TCO +DIT +SSBS BTYPE=--)
pc : arm64_exit_to_kernel_mode (arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:63)
lr : el1_abort (arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:323)
pmr: 000000f0
Call trace:
arm64_exit_to_kernel_mode (arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:63) (P)
el1_abort (arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:323)
el1h_64_sync_handler (arch/arm64/kernel/entry-common.c:449)
el1h_64_sync (arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S:589)
[...]
Split arm64_exit_to_kernel_mode() into preempt, non-preempt, and
dispatch parts so that we can avoid this extra work where it is not
needed and avoid breaking the pNMI tracking logic.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 7.1 | 7.2.6 |
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 | 7.2.6-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv +25 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +32 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime-6.14 +1 | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | kernel-source | 7.2.8-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:11893-1 |
Advisories 2
- WID-SEC-2026-3579 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 12, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:11893-1 kernel-devel-7.2.8-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 29, 2026