Upstream information

CVE-2026-98396 at MITRE

Description

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

powerpc: Do not restore KUAP in arch_exit_to_user_mode_prepare()

KUAP means kernel cannot touch user memory unless it explicitly is
enabled. In the kernel it should stay AMR_KUAP_BLOCKED. While returning
to userspace just before RFI, kernel should restore the user AMR value
back.

Looks like GENERIC_ENTRY might be treating arch_exit_to_user_mode_prepare()
as the last architecture step before returning to userspace.
commit bee25f97ad24 ("powerpc: Enable GENERIC_ENTRY feature")
therefore called kuap_user_restore() from that hook. But on PowerPC that
is too early. After irqentry_exit() / syscall_exit_to_user_mode() we
still run platform specific exit routines.

e.g. code snippets showing both exception handling and system call
handling as the callers of function arch_exit_to_user_mode_prepare()
which does kuap_user_restore(). The below path shows that calling
kuap_user_restore() is too early when called from
arch_exit_to_user_mode_prepare().

Exception handling in exceptions-64s.S
=======================================

bl CFUNC(do_page_fault)
..DEFINE_INTERRUPT_HANDLER_ASYNC(do_page_fault)
arch_interrupt_async_enter_prepare(regs);
state = irqentry_enter(regs);
instrumentation_begin();
irq_enter_rcu();
handler(regs);
nap_adjust_return(regs);
irq_exit_rcu();
instrumentation_end();
arch_interrupt_async_exit_prepare(regs);
irqentry_exit(regs, state); <<< too early
irqentry_exit_to_user_mode()
__exit_to_user_mode_prepare(regs, EXIT_TO_USER_MODE_WORK_IRQ);
arch_exit_to_user_mode_prepare(regs, ti_work); <<< too early
b interrupt_return_srr
.. bl CFUNC(interrupt_exit_user_prepare) <<< already calls kuap_user_restore

prep_irq_for_enabled_exit() retry can run kernel code with IRQs on. So
only when that routine is fully finished is when the user KUAP should be
fully restored which interrupt_exit_user_prepare() already takes care of
before returning.

Similarly for system call handling in interrupt_64.S
======================================================

bl CFUNC(system_call_exception)

.Lsyscall_exit:
addi r4,r1,STACK_INT_FRAME_REGS
li r5,0 /* !scv */
bl CFUNC(syscall_exit_prepare)
.. kuap_assert_locked();
syscall_exit_to_user_mode(regs); <<< too early
syscall_exit_to_user_mode_prepare(regs); <<< too early
kuap_user_restore(regs); <<< already calls

syscall_exit_prepare(), which can enable IRQs, replay a pending
interrupt, and only then rfi. Those functions already restore KUAP
immediately before rfi.

Note that if we restore the user AMR too early like in the current code
as shown from the code snippets above, then we get the following warning
when CONFIG_PPC_KUAP_DEBUG is enabled:
WARNING: arch/powerpc/include/asm/book3s/64/kup.h:293 at interrupt_exit_user_prepare+0x1a0/0x1c0
Hardware name: IBM pSeries (emulated by qemu) POWER10 (architected)
TRAP: 0700
LR: c00000000000d8d4 CTR: c0000000021fe500
MSR: <SF,EE,ME,IR,DR,RI,LE> CR: 44000804 XER: 20040000
interrupt_exit_user_prepare+0x1a0/0x1c0
interrupt_return_srr_user+0x8/0x12c

SUSE information

Overall state of this security issue: Resolved

This issue is currently rated as having low severity.

CVSS v3 Scores
CVSS detail SUSE
Base Score 2.5
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Attack Vector Local
Attack Complexity High
Privileges Required Low
User Interaction None
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact None
Integrity Impact Low
Availability Impact None
CVSSv3 Version 3.1

Note from the SUSE Security Team on the kernel-default package

SUSE will no longer fix all CVEs in the Linux Kernel anymore, but declare some bug classes as won't fix. Please refer to TID 21496 for more details.

SUSE Bugzilla entry: 1285592 [NEW]

No SUSE Security Announcements cross referenced.


Status of this issue by product and package

Please note that this evaluation state might be work in progress, incomplete or outdated. Also information for service packs in the LTSS phase is only included for issues meeting the LTSS criteria. If in doubt, feel free to contact us for clarification. The updates are grouped by state of their lifecycle. SUSE product lifecycles are documented on the lifecycle page.

Product(s) Source package State
Products under general support and receiving all security fixes.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP7 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 16.0 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 16.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 16.1 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 16.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3 kernel-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.4 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.4 kernel-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.4 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.5 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP7 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP7 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP7 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP7 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.0 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.1 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for NVIDIA 16.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP7 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.0 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.1 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP applications 16.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.0 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.0 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.1 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.1 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.2 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro 6.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro Extras 6.0 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro Extras 6.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro Extras 6.0 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro Extras 6.1 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Micro Extras 6.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP7 kernel-source-rt Not affected
openSUSE Leap 16.0 kernel-source Not affected
openSUSE Leap 16.1 kernel-source Not affected
Products under Long Term Service Pack support and receiving important and critical security fixes.
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 12 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP6 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 LTSS EXTREME CORE kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 LTSS EXTREME CORE kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP5-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server LTSS Extended Security 12 SP5 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server LTSS Extended Security 12 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP4 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP5 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP6 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP6 kernel-source Not affected
Products past their end of life and not receiving proactive updates anymore.
SUSE CaaS Platform 4.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Enterprise Storage 7 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Enterprise Storage 7.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 11 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP5 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP6 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-ESPOS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-ESPOS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-ESPOS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-ESPOS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.0 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.1 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2 kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP4 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP5 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-BCL kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-BCL kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-BCL kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-default Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3-LTSS kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Proxy 4.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Proxy 4.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Proxy 4.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Proxy 4.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Proxy LTS 4.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server LTS 4.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Server 4.0 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Server 4.1 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Server 4.2 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Server 4.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Manager Server LTS 4.3 kernel-source Not affected
SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP4 kernel-source-rt Not affected
SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP5 kernel-source-rt Not affected
openSUSE Leap 15.3 kernel-source Not affected
openSUSE Leap 15.4 kernel-source Not affected
openSUSE Leap 15.4 kernel-source-rt Not affected
openSUSE Leap 15.5 kernel-source Not affected
openSUSE Leap 15.5 kernel-source-rt Not affected
openSUSE Leap 15.6 kernel-source Not affected


SUSE Timeline for this CVE

CVE page created: Wed Oct 14 18:26:48 2026
CVE page last modified: Thu Oct 15 14:15:08 2026