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CVE-2026-93206

Linux: PCI/proc: Use file_ns_capable() when checking config space read access

Linux LinuxOperating systems
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.19%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 8% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in8a3a54aa3e65ed76f8560a387243a7738ae0cb1cAlso 5c7ab4ca66f0880cffc3735555ea719dd5253726, 53407535d49ec034e476121020b5c878f0d92e18 and 2 moreCVE List
Published24 Sep 2026Updated 19 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 8a3a54aa3e65ed76f8560a387243a7738ae0cb1cLinuxCVE List
  • 5c7ab4ca66f0880cffc3735555ea719dd5253726LinuxCVE List
  • 53407535d49ec034e476121020b5c878f0d92e18LinuxCVE List
  • 77272b7fd0e472086fd626a1fcd11da625822cc2LinuxCVE List
  • 6351e94076329dab517ea94c115e15c4d8459381LinuxCVE List

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

Description

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

PCI/proc: Use file_ns_capable() when checking config space read access

proc_bus_pci_read() decides how much of the config space is readable based on capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN), which checks the credentials of the task calling read(), not the credentials of the process that opened the file.

The sysfs equivalent, pci_read_config(), has checked the credentials of the opening process since commit de139a339395 ("pci: check caps from sysfs file open to read device dependent config space"), so a privileged process can open the config space file and pass the file descriptor to an unprivileged process (for example, a process running a KVM guest with an assigned device), which can then read the entire config space. The check was subsequently routed through the LSM framework in commit 47970b1b2aa6 ("pci: use security_capable() when checking capablities during config space read") and converted to the dedicated helper in commit ab0fa82b2df9 ("pci-sysfs: use proper file capability helper function").

Thus, the two interfaces check the same capability against different credentials. Checking the credentials of the task calling read() makes the outcome depend on who reads rather than who opened, so the restriction is bypassed whenever a more privileged process reads through the descriptor. Checking the credentials recorded in file->f_cred settles the decision at open() time and ties it to the file, where it cannot change with the caller.

Use file_ns_capable() to check CAP_SYS_ADMIN against the credentials in effect when the file was opened, bringing the procfs interface in line with the sysfs behaviour.

As a result, a file descriptor opened by a privileged process and passed to an unprivileged one now allows the entire config space to be read through procfs, matching sysfs.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 18

  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 8a3a54aa3e65ed76f8560a387243a7738ae0cb1cCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 5c7ab4ca66f0880cffc3735555ea719dd5253726CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 53407535d49ec034e476121020b5c878f0d92e18CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before e7730acd6a01c5931a3afb83639810ff2fb9cc92CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 77272b7fd0e472086fd626a1fcd11da625822cc2CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before c2d4174f492458ecdcdef309243624999612d526CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 6351e94076329dab517ea94c115e15c4d8459381CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before f82f53e75eff382fc8f56b73279b54f7cf5a5c65CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 2.6.12CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 2.6.12CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 5.10.270 through 5.10.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 5.15.221 through 5.15.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.1.188 through 6.1.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.6.157 through 6.6.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.12.109 through 6.12.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.50 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2.4 through 7.2.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.3CVE List

References 8