CVE-2026-97916
Received Received - Intake

Time-of-Check Time-of-Use in Linux Kernel IVPU Driver

Publication date: 2026-09-25

Last updated on: 2026-09-25

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: accel/ivpu: Validate firmware log buffer metadata The tracing log headers parsed by fw_log_print_buffer() reside in DMA-shared BOs that the NPU firmware can write to. fw_log_from_bo() validated log->header_size and log->size, but fw_log_print_buffer() re-read those same fields from shared memory afterwards, allowing a TOCTOU where firmware changes them between the check and the use, and making the host dereference out-of-bounds addresses while printing logs. Snapshot the validated values once with READ_ONCE() and pass them down explicitly in a new struct ivpu_fw_log_desc instead of re-reading them from the shared struct.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-25
Last Modified
2026-09-25
Generated
2026-10-16
AI Q&A
2026-09-25
EPSS Evaluated
2026-10-14
NVD
CVE-2026-97916
EUVD
EUVD-2026-86770

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel *

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Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves a Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) issue in the accel/ivpu driver. The firmware can manipulate log buffer metadata after validation, causing the host to access out-of-bounds memory while printing logs. The fix involves capturing validated values once and passing them explicitly to avoid re-reading from shared memory.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's accel/ivpu driver and involves firmware log buffer metadata validation. Detection requires checking for affected kernel versions and examining driver logs for out-of-bounds access attempts. No direct network detection commands are applicable. Check kernel logs for NPU-related errors or crashes using dmesg | grep ivpu or journalctl -k | grep ivpu.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability could allow malicious firmware to cause memory corruption or crashes in the Linux kernel, potentially leading to denial-of-service or privilege escalation. Systems using affected NPU hardware with vulnerable firmware may be at risk.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability involves a TOCTOU (Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use) issue in the Linux kernel's firmware log handling, allowing out-of-bounds memory access. While it does not directly impact GDPR or HIPAA compliance, such memory corruption vulnerabilities could potentially lead to unauthorized data access or integrity issues if exploited, indirectly affecting compliance with data protection standards that require secure and reliable systems.

Mitigation Strategies

Update the Linux kernel to a patched version that includes the fix for CVE-2026-97916. If immediate patching is not possible, disable the ivpu driver module using modprobe -r ivpu or blacklist the module in /etc/modprobe.d/. Monitor vendor advisories for kernel updates addressing this issue.

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