Kernel crash via cmd_regs reset race
Published Sep 25, 2026 · Updated Sep 25, 2026
Race condition in Linux pds_core allows local administrators to crash the kernel via concurrent PCI function reset and firmware flashing. The reset paths unmap cmd_regs without devcmd_lock while pdsc_legacy_firmware_update reuses the pointer after reacquiring the lock without checking it. Exploitation requires a pds_core physical function on an AMD/Pensando DSC adapter and privileged control of both firmware flashing and device reset.
Summary
What happened
Race condition in Linux pds_core allows local administrators to crash the kernel via concurrent PCI function reset and firmware flashing. The reset paths unmap cmd_regs without devcmd_lock while pdsc_legacy_firmware_update reuses the pointer after reacquiring the lock without checking it. Exploitation requires a pds_core physical function on an AMD/Pensando DSC adapter and privileged control of both firmware flashing and device reset.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98020
- Published
- Sep 25, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 25, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=6.6.16 <6.7
- Affected versionversion=6.7.4 <6.8
- Affected versionversion=6.8
- Affected versionversion=692488941283d72362274620b9abd28109fc459f
- Affected versionversion=e96094c1d11cce4deb5da3c0500d49041ab845b8 <09f831bfe39de5b8026fefb3d106b5cc93272170
- Affected versionversion=e96094c1d11cce4deb5da3c0500d49041ab845b8 <2cc697565fd19b5ba2d100cdd4a20dd6d263abc2
- Affected versionversion=e96094c1d11cce4deb5da3c0500d49041ab845b8 <7980325b2f71e3f65c1323c39792e2455da6fab6
- Affected versionversion=e96094c1d11cce4deb5da3c0500d49041ab845b8 <fa31bd14c5042c6315bb2182c963f03ca6e79ca4
- Affected versionversion=f6ec6ac9432941ec85a2221c91b1ecfc85680d89
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Get started to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Get started