From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: AL-KERNEL To: kernel-cve@kernelcve.org Subject: [CVE-2026-93046][MODERATE REGULAR] software node: Fix software_node_get_reference_args() with index -1 [ Upstream Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2026 06:32:40 -0400 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-AL-KERNEL-CVE: CVE-2026-93046 X-AL-KERNEL-Priority: MODERATE REGULAR X-AL-KERNEL-Severity: MODERATE REGULAR X-AL-KERNEL-Base-Severity: MODERATE X-AL-KERNEL-KPANIC: NO X-AL-KERNEL-ActionableScore: 4 X-AL-KERNEL-ActionableScore-Lower: 3 X-AL-KERNEL-Commit: 6cde06887487b4febd14658c9a246616abcc0097 List-Id: CVE: CVE-2026-93046 Priority: MODERATE REGULAR AL-KERNEL base severity: MODERATE KPANIC flag: NO Patch: software node: Fix software_node_get_reference_args() with index -1 [ Upstream Commit: 6cde06887487b4febd14658c9a246616abcc0097 Upstream patch: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/commit/?id=6cde06887487b4febd14658c9a246616abcc0097 Original CVE announcement: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/?q=CVE-2026-93046 Analysis date: Fri, 18 Sep 2026 06:32:40 -0400 ActionableScore: 4 ActionableScore lower bound: 3 Actionable bucket: Borderline / manual review recommended Manual review required: YES Summary: No one-sentence report phrase was found. ====================================================================== ABOUT THIS REPORT ====================================================================== The original Linux kernel CVE announcement for CVE-2026-93046 is available here: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/?q=CVE-2026-93046 The original announcement does not normally provide a security severity estimate, CVSS assessment, or enough information to determine whether the reported kernel bug represents a practically relevant security issue. This report was generated by AL-KERNEL, an AI-assisted Linux kernel vulnerability analysis system developed by Alexander Larkin. It combines an autonomous classifier with LLM-assisted technical analysis and a separate ActionableScore mechanism. The purpose of this report is to prioritize Linux kernel CVEs before manual review, identify cases that require prompt investigation, and support automatic closure of issues that are unlikely to have meaningful security impact. Published priority for this report: MODERATE REGULAR Manual review required: YES A detailed explanation of the methodology and priority rules is included at the end of this message. ====================================================================== AL-KERNEL CLASSIFICATION RESULT ====================================================================== CVE-2026-93046 MODERATE https://www.kernelcve.org/list/?q=CVE-2026-93046 CHECK WITH IMPACT FROM ORIG NN IMPORTANT Maybe valid. Check manually. Hints by AL-KERNEL: The best (paranoid) CVSS is 'AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H';CWE-190;CWE-125;*CWE-20;Other CVSS 'AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H';BEST CVSS score: '5.8';DESCR 'software_node_get_reference_args can perform an out of bounds property array access when index is UINT_MAX. The previous bounds check can wrap to zero and allow validation to pass before ref_array is indexed with the invalid value. The likely impact is a local denial of service through kernel crash or invalid pointer dereference. For the CVSS the PR:L is used in the paranoid score because a local user might reach the affected helper through a specific driver or device management path, although typical direct control of software node setup is more privileged. The issue is not network reachable. Impact is treated as C:L/I:L/A:H in the paranoid score because the bug is a memory safety OOB access, but no strong arbitrary write primitive is shown.';YES REQUIRES MANUAL CHECK; ,and ActionableScore result is Borderline / manual review recommended (with actual score 4) YES OOB SIMPLEFIX IMPROVEONLY LINUS LOWERED_FROM_HIGH_BASED_ON_GUESSCVSS DECREASED_TO_MODERATEREG_BASED_ON_FALSEPOSCHECKOFKP YES NO checked ====================================================================== ACTIONABLESCORE ANALYSIS ====================================================================== ActionableScore=4 ActionableScoreLower=3 PrimitiveClass=CLASS_C RealUAF=NO HostAdminRequired=UNKNOWN NamespaceScopedPrivilege=NO ImportantCandidate=NO ManualReview=RECOMMENDED AutoDowngradeAllowed=YES 1. ActionableScore * Raw conservative score: 3 * Conservative score: 3 * Raw paranoid score: 4 * Paranoid score: 4 * Final recommended bucket: **Borderline / manual review recommended**:: No floor or cap changed the score. 2. Signal breakdown Conservative signals: * +1 Weak / indirect corruption candidate: the old check `(index + 1) * sizeof(*ref) > prop->length` can wrap when `index == UINT_MAX`, allowing an out-of-bounds property-array access. * +1 Invalid structured-object interpretation: the out-of-bounds array element is not just an unused byte read. It is interpreted as a `software_node_ref_args` entry and may influence returned reference data. * +1 Plausible local kernel DoS: an invalid referenced node or malformed reference data can plausibly lead to an invalid pointer dereference or kernel fault in the helper or its caller. Paranoid additional signal: * +1 Weak caller-dependent exploitation concern: if a reachable driver or device-management path lets a local user influence the index and the software-node property layout, the OOB structured reference lookup may have limited C/I relevance beyond a simple crash. This is not treated as strong exploitation leverage. Non-awarded signals: * RealUAF not awarded: no object lifetime violation or stale post-free use is shown. * Controlled reclaim not demonstrated. * Arbitrary write not demonstrated. * OOB write not demonstrated. * Confidentiality not awarded conservatively: no user-visible disclosure path is shown. * Integrity not awarded conservatively: no unauthorized write or policy modification is shown. * Remote reachability not established. * Local unprivileged trigger not awarded because the complete caller path from ordinary userspace is not shown. * Host-admin penalty not applied because host-admin-equivalent reachability is not positively established. * Strong LPE leverage not awarded because there is no controlled object replacement, arbitrary R/W, callback control, or demonstrated privilege escalation. 3. Reachability analysis The patched function is an internal kernel helper for software-node property reference parsing. The direct input is an index passed by kernel callers, not a direct syscall or network packet. The commit establishes that `UINT_MAX` can reach the bounds check, but the supplied context does not show which concrete in-tree caller passes attacker-controlled `-1` or `UINT_MAX`. HostAdminRequired is therefore UNKNOWN. Direct software-node creation and platform/device configuration are often privileged or driver-controlled, but the evidence supplied here does not prove that host-admin-equivalent privilege is required for every reachable caller. Conversely, it also does not prove ordinary unprivileged reachability. NamespaceScopedPrivilege is NO because no namespace-scoped capability path is involved or established. There is no direct network vector. There is no race. No special hardware prerequisite is proven from the supplied patch, although practical reachability may depend on specific drivers using software-node references. 4. Primitive and severity interpretation The exact primitive is an integer wraparound in a bounds check followed by out-of-bounds access to a property reference array. This is not a UAF and not a repeated release/refcount issue. The accessed data is structured reference data, so the bug is stronger than passive bookkeeping, but the patch does not establish an OOB write, controlled replacement object, information disclosure path, or privilege-escalation primitive. PrimitiveClass is CLASS_C because the demonstrated behavior is an invalid/OOB structured access with likely crash potential, without an independently useful corruption primitive. The demonstrated consequence is likely local DoS if a reachable caller can pass the bad index. The speculative consequence is limited C/I impact if a caller exposes enough control over the indexed property array and then consumes the malformed reference in a security-relevant way. ImportantCandidate is NO because there is no Class A primitive and no strong Class B lifetime/corruption primitive. ManualReview is RECOMMENDED because this is a memory-safety bounds bug in a generic helper and the final risk depends on call-site reachability. AutoDowngradeAllowed is YES because no UAF, repeated lifetime mutation, authorization bypass, controlled corruption, or demonstrated LPE remains unresolved. 5. One-sentence report phrase An integer wraparound in `software_node_get_reference_args()` can allow `UINT_MAX` or index `-1` to bypass bounds validation and cause an out-of-bounds structured property-reference access, with likely impact limited to local DoS unless a reachable caller provides stronger attacker control. 6. Manual review recommendation MANUAL CHECK RECOMMENDED Manual review is recommended to identify concrete callers that can pass attacker-influenced indexes into `software_node_get_reference_args()` and to determine whether any caller exposes the resulting OOB structured reference beyond a crash scenario. 7. Call-site confidence Call-site confidence: medium ====================================================================== UPSTREAM PATCH SUMMARY ====================================================================== Patch: software node: Fix software_node_get_reference_args() with index -1 [ Upstream Commit: 6cde06887487b4febd14658c9a246616abcc0097 Upstream URL: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/commit/?id=6cde06887487b4febd14658c9a246616abcc0097 Changed files: drivers/base/swnode.c Diff excerpt: Not included in this email. See the upstream URL for the full patch. Full patch: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/commit/?id=6cde06887487b4febd14658c9a246616abcc0097 ====================================================================== DETAILED REPORT METHODOLOGY ====================================================================== The original Linux kernel CVE announcement for CVE-2026-93046 can be found here: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/?q=CVE-2026-93046 The original CVE announcement normally does not include a security-level estimate. In particular, it may not contain a CVSS assessment, an impact level, or enough information to determine whether the reported bug is a practically relevant security issue. One purpose of this parallel CVE list is to provide that missing technical and prioritization information. The original goal of the AL-KERNEL project was to prioritize Linux kernel CVE analysis automatically before manual review. The system can also help identify non-security issues that may be suitable for automatic closure. This report was generated by AL-KERNEL, an AI-assisted Linux kernel vulnerability analysis system developed by Alexander Larkin. The first analysis stage combines an autonomous classifier with additional LLM-based analysis. The autonomous classifier runs locally on a CPU and is based on a backpropagation neural network. Together, these mechanisms produce a technical vulnerability description, identify likely weakness types, estimate CVSS severity, and provide input for ActionableScore. Two CVSS estimates are retained because incomplete kernel vulnerability information often permits more than one defensible interpretation: Conservative CVSS vector: AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H The Best / paranoid CVSS vector: AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H The Best / paranoid CVSS score: 5.8 The conservative vector represents a lower-impact interpretation. The Best/paranoid vector intentionally represents a plausible upper-bound interpretation and should not automatically be treated as demonstrated real-world impact. CVSS may also need to be adjusted for a particular Linux deployment, because actual reachability, privileges, enabled kernel configuration, hardware, namespaces, exposed device nodes, and other environmental conditions can differ significantly between systems. A separate ActionableScore mechanism evaluates practical remediation urgency. Its analysis may include reachability, attack prerequisites, subsystem exposure, memory-corruption characteristics, denial-of-service reliability, and possible confidentiality, integrity, or privilege-escalation impact. Conservative ActionableScore: 3 Paranoid ActionableScore: 4 The final base severity is taken directly from the second tab-separated field of the AL-KERNEL classification result. ActionableScore does not replace or independently override that final AL-KERNEL decision, and if ActionableScore adjusted impact level of ALKERNEL, then you would see self-readable flags above like INCREASED_TO_HIGH_BASED_ON_ACTIONABLESCOREHIGHEREQTHAN7. For an AL-KERNEL result of MODERATE, this report uses the following additional presentation split: ActionableScore below 5 -> MODERATE REGULAR ActionableScore 5 or more -> MODERATE 7.0 The distinction between MODERATE REGULAR and MODERATE 7.0 makes it possible to identify Moderate issues that should receive manual analysis and fixes before lower-priority MODERATE REGULAR issues. In many cases, MODERATE REGULAR fixes may wait for a later rebase or routine update. There is one override in which MODERATE REGULAR becomes MODERATE 7.0 even when the ActionableScore is below 5. When the AL-KERNEL result contains the KPANIC flag, a MODERATE result is always presented as MODERATE 7.0. The KPANIC flag selected with few regexps without usage of AI at all, so it helps to detect cases when Kernel Crash happens and similar (to filter False-Negative results from the LLM usage). KPANIC indicates that a reliable kernel crash, kernel panic, or similarly serious kernel availability impact was identified by the classification workflow. AL-KERNEL base severity for this report: MODERATE KPANIC detected for this report: NO Published priority for this report (same as in Subject): MODERATE REGULAR These results are intended to support engineering triage. They are machine-generated estimates, and cases marked for manual review should be validated by a human security engineer before final disposition. For more info read docs linked from here: https://kernelcve.org/ (and you can submit you own patch there to generate such a report for non-existant CVE-id yet). Note that in many cases this AI tool selects higher severity, than real is (means you can expect Importants instead of Moderate 7.0 or Moderates 7.0 instead of regular Moderates). If you see such cases, please use reply email interface to add additional manual analyses info to this particular CVE. And please, please, let me know when you see Lows instead of Importants or Important instead of Low (because particular for such cases I need to tune this AI tool to make it better for this one and next similar). My contact email for such notifications is alexanjelausa@gmail.com (and both send reply to CVE record itself too and see "reply" button below for howto reply).