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CVE-2026-97481

Linux: serial: 8250: fix possible ISR soft lockup

Linux LinuxOperating systems
Open in ThreatlineRecord JSON
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.17%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 6% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in4bce4a6f6318035d77d6b6199527b1950bb015f4Also 8b67af8cd90542b2607623e3282811849e191b79, 95d0b40c0623fd2b58c753f8dd6adda7263e3cd1 and 4 moreCVE List
Published24 Sep 2026Updated 3 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 4bce4a6f6318035d77d6b6199527b1950bb015f4LinuxCVE List
  • 8b67af8cd90542b2607623e3282811849e191b79LinuxCVE List
  • 95d0b40c0623fd2b58c753f8dd6adda7263e3cd1LinuxCVE List
  • 03ed804a0ddc3d069faf94c47f9e702afe5ca084LinuxCVE List
  • 2881b2e6da02daea1eb8254247ba8fd20c9d3348LinuxCVE List
  • 4295c58990b7a84e8349a2226db692e252825b60LinuxCVE List
Show all 7 fixed versions
  • 0c6bf45e5a345cc3b9ffbeaf9083ecac3c2293ebLinuxCVE 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:

serial: 8250: fix possible ISR soft lockup

There are rare cases in which the host gets stuck in the ISR because it is flooded with messages during the startup phase.

The reason for the soft lockup in the ISR is the missing FIFO error IRQ (FIFOE) handling. Not handling it and reporting IRQ_HANDLED triggers the IRQ immediately again.

Fix this by adding a check for the FIFOE status and clearing the FIFO if no data is ready (DR).

This behavior was observed on an AM62L device which uses the OMAP 8250 driver. Fix it for all 8250 drivers, since the OMAP driver's special IRQ setup handling may trigger this behavior more frequently, but it is not ensured that other 8250 drivers aren't affected.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 16

  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 4bce4a6f6318035d77d6b6199527b1950bb015f4CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 8b67af8cd90542b2607623e3282811849e191b79CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 95d0b40c0623fd2b58c753f8dd6adda7263e3cd1CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 03ed804a0ddc3d069faf94c47f9e702afe5ca084CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 2881b2e6da02daea1eb8254247ba8fd20c9d3348CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 4295c58990b7a84e8349a2226db692e252825b60CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 before 0c6bf45e5a345cc3b9ffbeaf9083ecac3c2293ebCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 2.6.12CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 2.6.12CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 5.10.271 through 5.10.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 5.15.222 through 5.15.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.1.189 through 6.1.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.6.158 through 6.6.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.12.111 through 6.12.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.53 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2CVE List

References 7