CVE-2026-53173: accel/ethosu: fix OOB write in ethosu_gem_cmdstream_copy_and_validate()
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
accel/ethosu: fix OOB write in ethosugemcmdstreamcopyandvalidate()
The command stream parsing loop increments the index variable a second time when a 64-bit command word is encountered (bit 14 set), but does not re-check the loop bound before writing the second word:
for (i = 0; i < size / 4; i++) { bocmds[i] = cmds[0]; if (cmd & 0x4000) { i++; bocmds[i] = cmds[1]; / unchecked / } }
The buffer bocmds is backed by a DMA allocation of exactly size bytes from drmgemdmacreate(ddev, size), giving valid indices [0, size/4-1].
When i == size/4 - 1 on entry to an iteration and bit 14 of cmds[0] is set, bocmds[size/4-1] is written in bounds, i is then incremented to size/4, and bocmds[size/4] writes four bytes past the end of the allocation.
Userspace controls both the buffer contents and the size argument via the ioctl, making this a userspace-triggerable heap out-of-bounds write.
Fix by checking the incremented index against the buffer bound before the second write and returning -EINVAL if the buffer is too small to contain the extended command.
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
Linux kernel (accel/ethosu)to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Patch allocation.
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-53173?
CVE-2026-53173 has a risk rating of 65, indicating a moderate severity level.
How do I fix CVE-2026-53173?
To fix CVE-2026-53173, update to the latest version of the Linux kernel where the vulnerability has been resolved.
What systems are affected by CVE-2026-53173?
CVE-2026-53173 affects the Linux kernel implementations that utilize the accel/ethosu component.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-53173?
CVE-2026-53173 is an out-of-bounds (OOB) write vulnerability within the ethosu_gem_cmdstream_copy_and_validate function.
When was CVE-2026-53173 published?
CVE-2026-53173 was published on June 25, 2026.