CVE-2026-43161: Linux kernel · iommu/vt-d: Skip dev-iotlb flush for inaccessible PCIe device without scalable mode
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · fixed in e70d5feb10c5ba2bbf7ca400b8f39a2f82d653e8 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 6 Nov 2026, 16:02 UTC
Rated High by Threat Radar's AI analysis · No CVSS score from NVD or the CNA
Thin evidence
One scorer or none- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- No evidence of active exploitation and no public proof of concept
- Automatable
- Attackers cannot reliably automate steps 1–4 of the kill chain
- Technical impact
- Limited control over the software or limited information exposure
CISA SSVC assessment, 2026-11-06.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in e70d5feb10c5ba2bbf7ca400b8f39a2f82d653e8, bc0490ad9edf5c6f98e39fbbee2877b85261a5ae, 42662d19839f34735b718129ea200e3734b07e50 +3
Exploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 6 May 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 6 Nov 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
A fix is available and has been incorporated into Linux kernel versions 5.13 and 5.14. Users and administrators should upgrade affected Linux kernel versions to 5.13 or later to resolve this issue. No additional mitigation steps are required beyond applying the official kernel updates.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's iommu/vt-d subsystem can cause a system hard-lock when a PCIe endpoint device with ATS enabled loses its link unexpectedly, such as through surprise removal or link faults. This occurs because the Intel IOMMU waits indefinitely for an ATS invalidation that cannot complete when scalable mode is disabled or unsupported. The issue affects Linux kernel versions 5.12.19 through 5.13, 5.13.4 through 5.14, and version 5.14. The problem is resolved by skipping device IOTLB flushes for inaccessible PCIe devices without scalable mode, preventing the indefinite wait and system lock.
References
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/48b3f08e68b29a79527869cdde7298ca2a9b9646 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e70d5feb10c5ba2bbf7ca400b8f39a2f82d653e8 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/bc0490ad9edf5c6f98e39fbbee2877b85261a5ae (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/42662d19839f34735b718129ea200e3734b07e50 (opens in a new tab)