CVE Catalog

CVE-2026-53403

MediumCVSS 5.5
Published: Updated: Translated: NVD NIST

Exploitation Probability (EPSS)

Low risk
0.13%

3th percentile - higher than 3% of all known CVEs

Summary

In the Linux kernel fbdev subsystem, fb_new_modelist() fails to ensure the current display mode (info->var) remains in the modelist after a user-space mode list change. This causes a null-ptr-deref in fb_videomode_to_var() during a later console takeover.

Risk Assessment

The organization risks system crashes (kernel panic) or potential local privilege escalation when a user with sysfs access modifies the mode list and a console takeover occurs.

Recommendation

Immediately update the Linux kernel to a version containing the fix (commit that checks and keeps the current mode in the modelist).

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

See all
Original NVD description (English source)

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fbdev: Fix fb_new_modelist to prevent null-ptr-deref in fb_videomode_to_var info->var, a framebuffer's current mode, is expected to have a matching entry in info->modelist. var_to_display() relies on this and treats a failed fb_match_mode() as "This should not happen". fb_set_var() keeps it true by adding the mode to the list on every change, and do_register_framebuffer() does the same at registration. store_modes() replaces the modelist from userspace. fb_new_modelist() validates the new modes but does not check that info->var still has a match. It relies on fbcon_new_modelist() to re-point consoles, but that only handles consoles mapped to the framebuffer. With fbcon unbound there are none, so info->var is left describing a mode that is no longer in the list. A later console takeover runs var_to_display(), where fb_match_mode() returns NULL and leaves fb_display[i].mode NULL. fbcon_switch() passes it to display_to_var(), and fb_videomode_to_var() dereferences the NULL mode. Keep the current mode in the list in fb_new_modelist(), the same way fb_set_var() does.

Vulnerability data from NVD (NIST) · CISA KEV · EPSS