CVE-2026-68329: iommu/amd: Wait for completion instead of returning early in iommu_completion_wait()

Published Aug 10, 2026
·
Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

iommu/amd: Wait for completion instead of returning early in iommucompletionwait()

needsync is a per-IOMMU flag shared by all domains and devices behind that IOMMU. It is set whenever a command is queued with sync == true and cleared when a completion-wait (CWAIT) command is queued. However, a cleared needsync only means that a covering CWAIT has been queued, not that all previously queued commands have actually completed in hardware.

iommucompletionwait() read needsync locklessly and returned early when it was false. This breaks the "block until all previously queued commands have completed" contract in a multi-CPU scenario:

CPU2: queue inv-B => needsync = true CPU1: queue CWAIT(N); needsync = false; then waitonsem(N) CPU2: read needsync == false => return 0 (no wait!)

CPU2 returns without waiting for any sequence number even though its inv-B may not have completed yet (CWAIT(N), queued after inv-B, has not been signaled). CPU2 then proceeds to, for example, free page-table pages while the IOMMU can still walk stale translations, opening a use-after-free window. This is a logical race in the meaning of the flag, not a memory-visibility issue, so barriers alone do not help.

Fix it without losing the optimization of avoiding redundant CWAIT commands: take iommu->lock before testing needsync, and when it is false do not return early but wait for the last allocated sequence number (cmdsemval). Since needsync == false implies no sync command was queued after the last CWAIT, that CWAIT is FIFO-ordered after every not-yet-completed command, so waiting for its sequence number guarantees all prior commands (possibly queued by another CPU) have completed. The common path with pending work is unchanged and no extra hardware command is issued.

Affected Software

1 affected component
Linux Linux kernel

Event History

Aug 10, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·12:03 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·12:03 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·01:20 PM
Description
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-68329?

CVE-2026-68329 has a risk rating of 55, indicating it poses a moderate threat.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-68329?

To fix CVE-2026-68329, update your Linux kernel to the latest version where this vulnerability has been patched.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2026-68329?

CVE-2026-68329 affects the Linux kernel's IOMMU subsystem, predominantly in AMD systems.

4

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-68329?

CVE-2026-68329 is classified as a Use After Free vulnerability.

5

When was CVE-2026-68329 published?

CVE-2026-68329 was published on August 10, 2026.

Contact

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