Kernel-level IOMMU/page-table bug in Linux affects many distributions and platforms; can enable DMA/guest access to kernel memory — broad impact warranting org-wide notice.
CVE-2026-97525
Linux kernel split page tables can leave stale IOTLB entries enabling DMA access to kernel memory.
Is CVE-2026-97525 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-97525 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-2026-97525?
CVE-2026-97525 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.2. 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-2026-97525?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-97525. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-97525 affect?
CVE-2026-97525 affects Linux kernel (x86 mm/pat), Kernel versions prior to stable fixes in referenced commits. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-97525?
Apply upstream kernel fixes or vendor-updates immediately; reboot if required.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Stale IOTLB entries may allow DMA-capable devices or malicious guests to read/modify kernel memory, causing data disclosure or privilege escalation.
Patch when possible
- affected>= b3039c526f3e1744db0cbb7ae1f0213f5e27d3f4 and < 84e0cd79d57f06b872154eb5d8f610584133f260
- affected>= 5ba2f0a1556479638ac11a3c201421f5515e89f5 and < 922873cf4fc34124215070a8ad391bf831538bb9
- affected>= 5ba2f0a1556479638ac11a3c201421f5515e89f5 and < 9e4a3ec3411bb6bb59e3c1f29b75609f1e87aac4
- affected>= 6.18.7 and < 6.18.53
- affected6.19
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.