CVE-2026-98508: drm/virtio: fix NULL pointer dereference on fence allocation failure

Published Oct 18, 2026
·
Updated

drm/virtio: fix NULL pointer dereference on fence allocation failure

Affected Software

170 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel
Microsoft azl3 kernel 6.6.157.1-1<6.6.159.1-1
6.6.159.1-1
All of the following
azurelinux/kernel<6.6.159.1-1
6.6.159.1-1
Microsoft Azure Linux=3.0
linux/kernel>=6.6.0<6.6.158
6.6.158
linux/kernel>=6.7.0<6.12.112
6.12.112
linux/kernel>=6.13.0<6.18.55
6.18.55
linux/kernel>=6.19.0<7.2.9
7.2.9
ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.0*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-azure*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-azure-edge*
ubuntu/linux-gcp*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-gke-4.15*
ubuntu/linux-gke-5.4*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.4*
ubuntu/linux-hwe*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*
ubuntu/linux-oem*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.0*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-gke*
ubuntu/linux-gke-5.15*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.15*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-intel-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.10*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.6*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-raspi2*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-allwinner-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-ibm-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-intel-iot-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.17*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.0*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.1*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.8*
ubuntu/linux*
ubuntu/linux-aws*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-aws-7.0*
ubuntu/linux-azure*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-azure-7.0*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-7.0*
ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia*
ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-gcp*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-7.0*
ubuntu/linux-gke*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-7.0<7.0.0-42.42~24.04.1
7.0.0-42.42~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-ibm*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-7.0*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-lowlatency*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-oracle*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-7.0*
ubuntu/linux-raspi*
ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-7.0<7.0.0-42.42.1~24.04.1
7.0.0-42.42.1~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-vmware*
ubuntu/linux-xilinx*
ubuntu/linux-bluefield*
ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-aws-fips*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fips*
ubuntu/linux-fips*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips*
ubuntu/linux<7.0.0-42.42
7.0.0-42.42
ubuntu/linux-aws<7.0.0-1016.17
7.0.0-1016.17
ubuntu/linux-azure*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*
ubuntu/linux-gcp<7.0.0-1016.18
7.0.0-1016.18
ubuntu/linux-gke*
ubuntu/linux-ibm<7.0.0-1017.17
7.0.0-1017.17
ubuntu/linux-nvidia*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-bos*
ubuntu/linux-oem-7.0<7.0.0-1017.17
7.0.0-1017.17
ubuntu/linux-oracle<7.0.0-1015.16
7.0.0-1015.16
ubuntu/linux-raspi*
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv<7.0.0-42.42.1
7.0.0-42.42.1

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade to a fixed release to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.6.159.1-1
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade azurelinux/kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.6.159.1-1
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-hwe-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-42.42~24.04.1
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-42.42.1~24.04.1
  5. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-42.42
  6. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1016.17
  7. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1016.18
  8. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.17
  9. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oem-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.17
  10. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1015.16
  11. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-42.42.1
  12. Upgrade

    Upgrade linux/Kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.6.158
  13. Upgrade

    Upgrade linux/Kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.12.112
  14. Upgrade

    Upgrade linux/Kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.18.55
  15. Upgrade

    Upgrade linux/Kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.2.9

Event History

Oct 18, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·03:17 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·03:17 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via OSV·03:17 PM
DescriptionAffected Software
Data Sourced
via NVD·04:17 PM
Description
Oct 20, 2026
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·08:11 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Nov 10, 2026
Data Sourced
via OSV·02:52 AM
Severity

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What conditions are required to trigger this issue?

Fence allocation in the virtio GPU driver must fail, such as under memory pressure. The unchecked NULL return is then passed through submission initialization to fence-event creation, where it is dereferenced.

2

What is the likely impact if the issue is triggered?

The supplied crash report shows a kernel NULL-pointer dereference/general protection fault in the virtio GPU submission path. This can cause a kernel oops.

3

How was the issue observed?

It was found while Syzkaller fuzzed the virtio driver. The reported call path reaches virtio_gpu_execbuffer_ioctl through virtio_gpu_init_submit and virtio_gpu_fence_event_create.

Company

Resources

Contact

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