CVE-2026-53331 Affecting kernel-kvmsmall package, versions <6.12.0-160000.37.1


Severity

Recommended
0.0
medium
0
10

Based on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server security rating.

Threat Intelligence

EPSS
0.16% (6th percentile)

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  • Snyk IDSNYK-SLES1600-KERNELKVMSMALL-19331675
  • published27 Aug 2026
  • disclosed11 Aug 2026

Introduced: 11 Aug 2026

NewCVE-2026-53331  (opens in a new tab)

How to fix?

Upgrade SLES:16.0.0 kernel-kvmsmall to version 6.12.0-160000.37.1 or higher.

NVD Description

Note: Versions mentioned in the description apply only to the upstream kernel-kvmsmall package and not the kernel-kvmsmall package as distributed by SLES. See How to fix? for SLES:16.0.0 relevant fixed versions and status.

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

slimbus: qcom-ngd-ctrl: Avoid ABBA on tx_lock/ctrl->lock

During the SSR/PDR down notification the tx_lock is taken with the intent to provide synchronization with active DMA transfers.

But during this period qcom_slim_ngd_down() is invoked, which ends up in slim_report_absent(), which takes the slim_controller lock. In multiple other codepaths these two locks are taken in the opposite order (i.e. slim_controller then tx_lock).

The result is a lockdep splat, and a possible deadlock:

rprocctl/449 is trying to acquire lock: ffff00009793e620 (&ctrl->lock){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: slim_report_absent (drivers/slimbus/core.c:322) slimbus

but task is already holding lock: ffff00009793fb50 (&ctrl->tx_lock){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: qcom_slim_ngd_ssr_pdr_notify (drivers/slimbus/qcom-ngd-ctrl.c:1475) slim_qcom_ngd_ctrl

which lock already depends on the new lock.

Possible unsafe locking scenario:

    CPU0                    CPU1
    ----                    ----

lock(&ctrl->tx_lock); lock(&ctrl->lock); lock(&ctrl->tx_lock); lock(&ctrl->lock);

The assumption is that the comment refers to the desire to not call qcom_slim_ngd_exit_dma() while we have an ongoing DMA TX transaction. But any such transaction is initiated and completed within a single qcom_slim_ngd_xfer_msg().

Prior to calling qcom_slim_ngd_exit_dma() the slim_controller is torn down, all child devices are notified that the slimbus is gone and the child devices are removed.

Stop taking the tx_lock in qcom_slim_ngd_ssr_pdr_notify() to avoid the deadlock.

CVSS Base Scores

version 3.1