arm64/boot: Disable trapping of PMZR_EL0 writes to EL2
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: arm64/boot: Disable trapping of PMZR_EL0 writes to EL2 __init_el2_fgt2() writes one mask to both HDFGRTR2_EL2 and HDFGWTR2_EL2. PMZR_EL0 is write-only, so its trap bit, nPMZR_EL0, exists only in HDFGWTR2_EL2 and is therefore never set: a PMZR_EL0 write from the host traps to EL2, where the nVHE hypervisor has no handler and BUG()s. The kernel never writes PMZR_EL0, but kernel.perf_user_access=1 has the PMU driver set PMUSERENR_EL0.UEN for a task with a user-read event, so a write from EL0 reaches the trap and takes the host down without a panic message. Accumulate the HDFGWTR2_EL2 bits separately, as __init_el2_fgt() already does for HDFGWTR_EL2, and set nPMZR_EL0 with the other FEAT_PMUv3p9 bits.
CVE-2026-98546
Primary source · Revision 1
Imported from structured advisory data. Source references identify upstream records or fields; verify affected versions and your deployed configuration.
Security context
Source reference: cve:CVE-2026-98546
Linux
Source reference: /containers/cna/affected/0/product
- Affected versions
- Not stated in this record
- Fixed versions
- Not stated in this record
- Prerequisites
- Not stated in this record
Linux
Source reference: /containers/cna/affected/1/product
- Affected versions
- Not stated in this record
- Fixed versions
- Not stated in this record
- Prerequisites
- Not stated in this record
Structured affected-version data
Original package identities and version rules from this source.
[
{
"repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
"vendor": "Linux",
"product": "Linux",
"versions": [
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "686d8f7b592f3466f44aea653c8147611b351c83",
"lessThan": "bb8c90c86441c090e9036f019cf1b4d7894a2c40",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "858c7bfcb35e1100b58bb63c9f562d86e09418d9",
"lessThan": "071f51188a5d8ec10535541255587976d12fc7d8",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "858c7bfcb35e1100b58bb63c9f562d86e09418d9",
"lessThan": "ce71865bf43f88bed9d9218e9218e537150be506",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "858c7bfcb35e1100b58bb63c9f562d86e09418d9",
"lessThan": "2bc6b218717b9d08f466f88209251d54bc09b207",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "882f78400322c0aec4b641a7168adad9a66bc0c2",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "6.12.25",
"lessThan": "6.12.112",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "6.14.4",
"lessThan": "6.15",
"versionType": "semver"
}
],
"programFiles": [
"Documentation/arch/arm64/booting.rst",
"arch/arm64/include/asm/el2_setup.h"
],
"defaultStatus": "unaffected"
},
{
"repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
"vendor": "Linux",
"product": "Linux",
"versions": [
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "6.15"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "0",
"lessThan": "6.15",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.12.112",
"versionType": "semver",
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.18.55",
"versionType": "semver",
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "7.2.9",
"versionType": "semver",
"lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "7.3",
"versionType": "original_commit_for_fix",
"lessThanOrEqual": "*"
}
],
"programFiles": [
"Documentation/arch/arm64/booting.rst",
"arch/arm64/include/asm/el2_setup.h"
],
"defaultStatus": "affected"
}
]- Related CVEs
- CVE-2026-98546
Source reference:
/cveMetadata/cveId
Publisher severity
No explicit severity was provided.
- Event
- #38570 · Revision 1
- Added to Heist Feed
- Publisher date