CVE-2026-53403

Summary

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.

Affected Software

VendorProductVersion RangeStatus
LinuxLinux1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 < 1458a4d804550b7101e8bb02c1cb941088e4c0c7affected
LinuxLinux1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 < 8707f02ac9f5f632039b60df2c9f3dc914709f72affected
LinuxLinux1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 < 0d8c7f21ad8529d5c181e61f86be35b887ae2e4daffected
LinuxLinux1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 < 7640b4f68acb54c2c4f6b4a8aee0e9849dacd929affected
LinuxLinux1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 < 4f1a7fe8ba845cb7d39580755f78c3b7b9a0b61eaffected
LinuxLinux1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 < eea16b6f805c0b1fb2f72f0f771088ea45356956affected
LinuxLinux1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 < 88913059c77e171f44ba829282d42dde0d458811affected
LinuxLinux1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 < 7f08fc10fa3d3366dc3af723970bd03d7d6d10e3affected
LinuxLinux2.6.12affected
LinuxLinux0 < 2.6.12unaffected
LinuxLinux5.10.260 <= 5.10.*unaffected
LinuxLinux5.15.211 <= 5.15.*unaffected
LinuxLinux6.1.177 <= 6.1.*unaffected
LinuxLinux6.6.144 <= 6.6.*unaffected
LinuxLinux6.12.95 <= 6.12.*unaffected
LinuxLinux6.18.38 <= 6.18.*unaffected
LinuxLinux7.1.3 <= 7.1.*unaffected
LinuxLinux7.2-rc1 <= *unaffected

Weaknesses

References