CVE-2026-89981

Source
https://cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-89981
Import Source
https://storage.googleapis.com/cve-osv-conversion/osv-output/CVE-2026-89981.json
JSON Data
https://api.osv.dev/v1/vulns/CVE-2026-89981
Downstream
Published
2026-09-16T10:32:58Z
Modified
2026-09-18T03:48:34Z
Summary
arm64: Don't read GMID_EL1 when MTE is disabled
Details

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

arm64: Don't read GMID_EL1 when MTE is disabled

__cpuinfo_store_cpu() gates the GMID_EL1 read on the raw ID_AA64PFR1_EL1, so it reads the register even when the kernel has disabled MTE (CONFIG_ARM64_MTE=n or arm64.nomte). KVM sets HCR_EL2.TID5 in that case, and pKVM injects an UNDEF the host cannot handle:

Internal error: Oops - Undefined instruction: 0000000002000000 [#1] SMP pc : __cpuinfo_store_cpu+0xf4/0x264 Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill the idle task!

Only pKVM reaches it, and only after a CPU is offlined and brought back online: its CPU_ON relay sets the host HCR before the CPU enters EL1, while plain nVHE sets it at CPUHP_AP_KVM_ONLINE.

Gate the read on the CPU's own ID_AA64PFR1_EL1 with the command-line override applied, and on CONFIG_ARM64_MTE, which no register reflects. The boot CPU stores its registers before init_cpu_features() strips an unsafe override, so clamp against the hardware value here too.

Database specific
{
    "cna_assigner": "Linux",
    "osv_generated_from": "https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/89xxx/CVE-2026-89981.json"
}
References

Affected packages

Git / git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git

Affected ranges

Type
GIT
Repo
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git
Events
Introduced
f35abcbb8a084db4c24b66ccc8db0405c08e2f61
Fixed
d2d22ff377cd43f2e9660426ff22e3cd4c534637
Fixed
5445d64199626974269fcdf347769ad44b0bb53b

Database specific

source
"https://storage.googleapis.com/cve-osv-conversion/osv-output/CVE-2026-89981.json"

Linux / Kernel

Package

Name
Kernel

Affected ranges

Type
ECOSYSTEM
Events
Introduced
7.0.0
Fixed
7.2.5

Database specific

source
"https://storage.googleapis.com/cve-osv-conversion/osv-output/CVE-2026-89981.json"