serial: core: fix infinite loop in handle_tx() for PORT_UNKNOWN
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: serial: core: fix infinite loop in handle_tx() for PORT_UNKNOWN uart_write_room() and uart_write() behave inconsistently when xmit_buf is NULL (which happens for PORT_UNKNOWN ports that were never properly initialized): - uart_write_room() returns kfifo_avail() which can be > 0 - uart_write() checks xmit_buf and returns 0 if NULL This inconsistency causes an infinite loop in drivers that rely on tty_write_room() to determine if they can write: while (tty_write_room(tty) > 0) { written = tty->ops->write(...); // written is always 0, loop never exits } For example, caif_serial's handle_tx() enters an infinite loop when used with PORT_UNKNOWN serial ports, causing system hangs. Fix by making uart_write_room() also check xmit_buf and return 0 if it's NULL, consistent with uart_write(). Reproducer: https://gist.github.com/mrpre/d9a694cc0e19828ee3bc3b37983fde13
CVE-2026-23472
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-2026-23472
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": "1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2",
"lessThan": "c9e845014723d552944cec4e146ec7b841cda34d",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2",
"lessThan": "d45cfa70bf0159afb31cb03d2d16ec5a5053460c",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2",
"lessThan": "efe85a557186b7fe915572ae93a8f3f78bfd9a22",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2",
"lessThan": "bc70f2b36cf474d5cc8ecbcaf57f3e326fdec67c",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2",
"lessThan": "455ce986fa356ff43a43c0d363ba95fa152f21d5",
"versionType": "git"
}
],
"programFiles": [
"drivers/tty/serial/serial_core.c"
],
"defaultStatus": "unaffected"
},
{
"repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
"vendor": "Linux",
"product": "Linux",
"versions": [
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "2.6.12"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "0",
"lessThan": "2.6.12",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.6.160",
"versionType": "semver",
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.6.*"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.12.114",
"versionType": "semver",
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.18.20",
"versionType": "semver",
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.19.10",
"versionType": "semver",
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.19.*"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "7.0",
"versionType": "original_commit_for_fix",
"lessThanOrEqual": "*"
}
],
"programFiles": [
"drivers/tty/serial/serial_core.c"
],
"defaultStatus": "affected"
}
]- Related CVEs
- CVE-2026-23472
Source reference:
/cveMetadata/cveId
Publisher severity
No explicit severity was provided.
- Event
- #46125 · Revision 1
- Added to Heist Feed
- Publisher date