CVE-2026-97526

s390/pai: Support CPU hotplug for PMU PAI

Published Sep 25, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

s390/pai: Support CPU hotplug for PMU PAI

The command 'perf stat -e pai_crypto/CRYPTO_ALL/ -- <command>'
crashes the kernel when CPUs are hotplug added during that run.

Root cause is the missing allocation of per-CPU data structures
for that new CPU. The allocation is dynamic and the first
event that has task context creates such a structure for
each online CPU. This is not sufficient. CPUs may be offline
during event creation and can be set online during the
perf run time. For example commands

# echo 0 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/online
# perf stat -e cycles -i -- stress-ng -t10s --matrix X
# sleep 1
# echo 1 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/online

Currently without a CPU hotplug handler, that new CPU has no
per-CPU data infrastructure. The scheduler runs PMU call back
function pai_add() to install the PMU support for that CPU before
the task is being scheduled on that new CPU.
In pai_add() instructions

mp = this_cpu_ptr(pai_root[idx].mapptr);
cpump = mp->mapptr;

return a NULL pointer and the result is a kernel panic as variable
cpump is used inside that function.

Add CPU hotplug support for CPU add and delete and create
the necessary per-CPU data infrastructure during CPU hotplug
add processing. Same for CPU hotplug remove.
This is done when the CPU is offline to ensure the data structures
are available when CPU is made online and tasks are scheduled on it.

[hca@linux.ibm.com: fixup error path in pai_init()]

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9019-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9020-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: s390/pai: Support CPU hotplug for PMU PAI The command 'perf stat -e pai_crypto/CRYPTO_ALL/ -- <command>' crashes the kernel when CPUs are hotplug added during that run. Root cause is the missing allocation of per-CPU data structures for that new CPU. The allocation is dynamic and the first event that has task context creates such a structure for each online CPU. This is not sufficient. CPUs may be offline during event creation and can be set online during the perf run time. For example commands # echo 0 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/online # perf stat -e cycles -i -- stress-ng -t10s --matrix X # sleep 1 # echo 1 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/online Currently without a CPU hotplug handler, that new CPU has no per-CPU data infrastructure. The scheduler runs PMU call back function pai_add() to install the PMU support for that CPU before the task is being scheduled on that new CPU. In pai_add() instructions mp = this_cpu_ptr(pai_root[idx].mapptr); cpump = mp->mapptr; return a NULL pointer and the result is a kernel panic as variable cpump is used inside that function. Add CPU hotplug support for CPU add and delete and create the necessary per-CPU data infrastructure during CPU hotplug add processing. Same for CPU hotplug remove. This is done when the CPU is offline to ensure the data structures are available when CPU is made online and tasks are scheduled on it. [hca@linux.ibm.com: fixup error path in pai_init()]
Title s390/pai: Support CPU hotplug for PMU PAI
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Oct 19, 2026, 9:08 AM
Reserved
Sep 24, 2026, 4:01 PM
Status
Received
Published
Sep 25, 2026, 11:17 AM
Modified
Oct 19, 2026, 10:17 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Sep 25, 2026, 12:00 AM