Kernel-level IOMMU bug can enable DMA-triggered memory corruption and potential host/kernel compromise; affects widespread Linux deployments and virtualization hosts.
CVE-2026-90240
Linux VT-d IOMMU bug can let DMA reference freed memory, enabling potential kernel RCE.
Is CVE-2026-90240 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-90240 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked.
How severe is CVE-2026-90240?
CVE-2026-90240 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.8. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-90240?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-90240. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-90240 affect?
CVE-2026-90240 affects Linux kernel (intel iommu/vt-d), Virtualization hosts (KVM/QEMU) with VT-d, Cloud hypervisors using Intel VT-d, Servers/workstations with Intel VT-d enabled. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-90240?
Apply the upstream/stable Linux kernel update containing the VT-d fix immediately.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Stale IOMMU context entries can cause IOMMU to walk freed memory, enabling DMA-induced memory corruption and possible host/kernel RCE or guest escape.
Patch when possible
- affected>= f90584f4beb84211c4d21b319cc13f391fe9f3c2 and < a803141597d61dc0511f7cd849625e17d042ca8a
- affected>= f90584f4beb84211c4d21b319cc13f391fe9f3c2 and < 5baddf100b3be730912485648cbaae5e3a251923
- affected>= f90584f4beb84211c4d21b319cc13f391fe9f3c2 and < c54e4ae971b98e8d650400137d332cee56c03f55
- affected6.11
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.