Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
s390/vfio-ap: fix stale pqap_hook pointer on error in vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm()
In vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm(), kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook is set to
&matrix_mdev->pqap_hook before the update locks are acquired and the
mdev list is checked for a conflicting assignment. If another mdev is
already attached to the same KVM instance, the function returns -EPERM
without restoring the hook pointer, leaving kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook
pointing at the failing matrix_mdev instead of the mdev that legitimately
owns the KVM.
Since matrix_mdev->kvm is never set on this error path,
vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() will not clean up the hook when matrix_mdev
is later closed. If matrix_mdev is subsequently freed, any PQAP
instruction executed by the guest will dereference the stale pointer
through pqap_hook_rwsem, resulting in a use-after-free.
Since kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook is only set in the vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm()
function and is cleared in the vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() function, a check
for 'kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook != NULL' is all that is needed to determine
whether it belongs to another mdev. This will alleviate the need to iterate
the matrix_dev->mdev_list list to see if the kvm object is assigned to
another mdev.This was introduced in v3 to alleviate the need to take the
mdevs_lock while iterating the list; however, this did not prevent a
potential race condition.
The pqap_hook_rwsem(write) is now performed inside
get_update_locks_for_kvm(), which is updated to acquire
pqap_hook_rwsem(write) between kvm->lock and mdevs_lock. This ordering
is consistent with the PQAP intercept path, which acquires pqap_hook_rwsem
in read mode while srcu is held under vcpu->mutex, establishing the
dependency: kvm->lock -> vcpu->mutex -> srcu -> pqap_hook_rwsem(read).
The pqap_hook_rwsem is now released inside the
release_update_locks_for_kvm(), which is updated to release
pqap_hook_rwsem(write) between mdevs_lock and kvm->lock.
Additionally, kvm_put_kvm() in vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() is moved
after release_update_locks_for_kvm(). Previously it was called while
kvm->lock was held; if it were ever the last reference, kvm_destroy_vm()
would run under kvm->lock, which would deadlock.
s390/vfio-ap: fix stale pqap_hook pointer on error in vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm()
In vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm(), kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook is set to
&matrix_mdev->pqap_hook before the update locks are acquired and the
mdev list is checked for a conflicting assignment. If another mdev is
already attached to the same KVM instance, the function returns -EPERM
without restoring the hook pointer, leaving kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook
pointing at the failing matrix_mdev instead of the mdev that legitimately
owns the KVM.
Since matrix_mdev->kvm is never set on this error path,
vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() will not clean up the hook when matrix_mdev
is later closed. If matrix_mdev is subsequently freed, any PQAP
instruction executed by the guest will dereference the stale pointer
through pqap_hook_rwsem, resulting in a use-after-free.
Since kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook is only set in the vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm()
function and is cleared in the vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() function, a check
for 'kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook != NULL' is all that is needed to determine
whether it belongs to another mdev. This will alleviate the need to iterate
the matrix_dev->mdev_list list to see if the kvm object is assigned to
another mdev.This was introduced in v3 to alleviate the need to take the
mdevs_lock while iterating the list; however, this did not prevent a
potential race condition.
The pqap_hook_rwsem(write) is now performed inside
get_update_locks_for_kvm(), which is updated to acquire
pqap_hook_rwsem(write) between kvm->lock and mdevs_lock. This ordering
is consistent with the PQAP intercept path, which acquires pqap_hook_rwsem
in read mode while srcu is held under vcpu->mutex, establishing the
dependency: kvm->lock -> vcpu->mutex -> srcu -> pqap_hook_rwsem(read).
The pqap_hook_rwsem is now released inside the
release_update_locks_for_kvm(), which is updated to release
pqap_hook_rwsem(write) between mdevs_lock and kvm->lock.
Additionally, kvm_put_kvm() in vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() is moved
after release_update_locks_for_kvm(). Previously it was called while
kvm->lock was held; if it were ever the last reference, kvm_destroy_vm()
would run under kvm->lock, which would deadlock.
Analysis
Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
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| Linux | Linux | affected |
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No data available yet.
Remediation
No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.
Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Tracking
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Advisories
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References
History
Wed, 16 Sep 2026 14:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Metrics |
cvssV3_1
|
Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: s390/vfio-ap: fix stale pqap_hook pointer on error in vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm() In vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm(), kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook is set to &matrix_mdev->pqap_hook before the update locks are acquired and the mdev list is checked for a conflicting assignment. If another mdev is already attached to the same KVM instance, the function returns -EPERM without restoring the hook pointer, leaving kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook pointing at the failing matrix_mdev instead of the mdev that legitimately owns the KVM. Since matrix_mdev->kvm is never set on this error path, vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() will not clean up the hook when matrix_mdev is later closed. If matrix_mdev is subsequently freed, any PQAP instruction executed by the guest will dereference the stale pointer through pqap_hook_rwsem, resulting in a use-after-free. Since kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook is only set in the vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm() function and is cleared in the vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() function, a check for 'kvm->arch.crypto.pqap_hook != NULL' is all that is needed to determine whether it belongs to another mdev. This will alleviate the need to iterate the matrix_dev->mdev_list list to see if the kvm object is assigned to another mdev.This was introduced in v3 to alleviate the need to take the mdevs_lock while iterating the list; however, this did not prevent a potential race condition. The pqap_hook_rwsem(write) is now performed inside get_update_locks_for_kvm(), which is updated to acquire pqap_hook_rwsem(write) between kvm->lock and mdevs_lock. This ordering is consistent with the PQAP intercept path, which acquires pqap_hook_rwsem in read mode while srcu is held under vcpu->mutex, establishing the dependency: kvm->lock -> vcpu->mutex -> srcu -> pqap_hook_rwsem(read). The pqap_hook_rwsem is now released inside the release_update_locks_for_kvm(), which is updated to release pqap_hook_rwsem(write) between mdevs_lock and kvm->lock. Additionally, kvm_put_kvm() in vfio_ap_mdev_unset_kvm() is moved after release_update_locks_for_kvm(). Previously it was called while kvm->lock was held; if it were ever the last reference, kvm_destroy_vm() would run under kvm->lock, which would deadlock. | |
| Title | s390/vfio-ap: fix stale pqap_hook pointer on error in vfio_ap_mdev_set_kvm() | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
|
MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-09-16T14:40:40.451Z
Reserved: 2026-09-11T19:38:34.778Z
Link: CVE-2026-89960
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2026-09-16T11:17:06.437
Modified: 2026-09-16T15:18:20.560
Link: CVE-2026-89960
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses
No weakness.