# CVE-2024-26620: s390/vfio-ap: always filter entire AP matrix

> A flaw in the Linux kernel's vfio-ap driver allows guests to access unbound AP queues, potentially leading to unauthorized data access or modification.

- **Severity:** High 8.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 29 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-26620, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-26620, GHSA-43w7-7gwv-35rc, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-26620

## What is CVE-2024-26620?

CVE-2024-26620 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 29 Feb 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

s390/vfio-ap: always filter entire AP matrix

The vfio_ap_mdev_filter_matrix function is called whenever a new adapter or
domain is assigned to the mdev. The purpose of the function is to update
the guest's AP configuration by filtering the matrix of adapters and
domains assigned to the mdev. When an adapter or domain is assigned, only
the APQNs associated with the APID of the new adapter or APQI of the new
domain are inspected. If an APQN does not reference a queue device bound to
the vfio_ap device driver, then it's APID will be filtered from the mdev's
matrix when updating the guest's AP configuration.

Inspecting only the APID of the new adapter or APQI of the new domain will
result in passing AP queues through to a guest that are not bound to the
vfio_ap device driver under certain circumstances. Consider the following:

guest's AP configuration (all also assigned to the mdev's matrix):
14.0004
14.0005
14.0006
16.0004
16.0005
16.0006

unassign domain 4
unbind queue 16.0005
assign domain 4

When domain 4 is re-assigned, since only domain 4 will be inspected, the
APQNs that will be examined will be:
14.0004
16.0004

Since both of those APQNs reference queue devices that are bound to the
vfio_ap device driver, nothing will get filtered from the mdev's matrix
when updating the guest's AP configuration. Consequently, queue 16.0005
will get passed through despite not being bound to the driver. This
violates the linux device model requirement that a guest shall only be
given access to devices bound to the device driver facilitating their
pass-through.

To resolve this problem, every adapter and domain assigned to the mdev will
be inspected when filtering the mdev's matrix.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-26620?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-26620?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-26620 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-26620 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-26620 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-26620 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 29 Feb 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-26620 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26620/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26620/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-26620
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-26620
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-26620

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26620/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.