CVE-2026-90338

What the bug is

pl011_console_write_atomic() runs from nbcon atomic context, where sleeping is not allowed. It calls clk_enable(), which takes the common-clk enable_lock. Under PREEMPT_RT that is a sleeping lock: clk_enable_lock() first tries spin_trylock_irqsave(), but on contention falls back to spin_lock_irqsave(). Therefore, an atomic-context printk on an RT kernel with a clk-backed pl011 can trip: BUG: sleeping function called from invalid context at spinlock_rt.c:48 __might_resched from rt_spin_lock rt_spin_lock from clk_enable_lock clk_enable_lock from clk_enable clk_enable from pl011_console_write_atomic ... from vprintk_emit This was found and reproduced on PREEMPT_RT. Arm32 and arm64 DT SoCs are affected; arm64 SBSA/ACPI has no clk, so clk_enable(NULL) short-circuits before the lock. In addition, write_atomic() may be invoked from NMI context and is documented to avoid locking. Removing clk_enable() from the callback also avoids a potentially unsafe NMI acquisition of the common-clock enable_lock. An nbcon atomic-capable console must be printable from any context, so the clock cannot be gated between writes. Enable the clock while the console is available for output: use clk_prepare_enable() in pl011_console_setup(), release it via clk_disable_unprepare() in the console .exit() callback, and drop the per-write clk_enable()/clk_disable() pairs from write_atomic() and write_thread(). When printk suspends consoles, drop the reference after uart_suspend_port() stops console access and restore it before uart_resume_port() -- but only if suspend actually marked the port suspended (a wake-capable tty stays running and must keep its clock), and keep it when console_suspend_enabled is false so no_console_suspend works. The active power cost of keeping the clock enabled is platform-dependent: none where the UART clock is a fixed always-on oscillator, real where it is a gateable clock branch, which then cannot be gated (nor possibly can its parent clocks) while the console is available for output. When serial core actually suspends the port, the reference is released so the clock provider can gate the clock tree.

Where it lives

The fix touches these files. If the subsystem is one you do not use, the practical exposure is lower, though the package is still the vulnerable one.

drivers/tty/serial/amba-pl011.c

What this is

ARM PRIMECELL UART PL010 AND PL011 DRIVERSMAINTAINERS section matched on drivers/tty/serial/amba-pl01*.c · Odd Fixes

Check it on the machine

grep -w CONFIG_SERIAL_AMBA_PL011 /boot/config-$(uname -r)

Reads the booted kernel's own configuration, on the machine and nowhere else. =y is built in, =m is a module, and an is not set line means the code is not there.

Show whether Debian builds this, per release

Debian builds this, but not on every flavour. At least one release below builds the code on some of its kernel flavours and not on others, so the answer depends on the architecture and flavour installed.

• bookwormYnot built on amd64/amd64, amd64/cloud-amd64, amd64/rt/amd64, i386/686, i386/686-pae, i386/rt/686-pae, ppc64el/powerpc64le
• trixieYnot built on amd64/amd64, amd64/cloud-amd64, amd64/rt/amd64, ppc64el/powerpc64le, ppc64el/powerpc64le-64k, riscv64/riscv64, s390x/s390x
• forky, sidYnot built on amd64/amd64, amd64/cloud-amd64, amd64/rt-amd64, loong64/loong64, ppc64el/powerpc64le, ppc64el/powerpc64le-64k, riscv64/riscv64, s390x/s390x

Y

built in where it is built at all; some flavours do not build it

Build switch

CONFIG_SERIAL_AMBA_PL011

From the configuration Debian publishes for every kernel flavour it builds. It covers only the architectures Debian ships a linux-config package for, and nothing about a kernel you built yourself. Debian's own status above stays authoritative about the source package.MAINTAINERS kbuild Makefiles Debian linux-config packages

Signals

Published

2026-09-17 (31 days ago)source

CVSS

no vector published, unrated

Attack vector

not published

EPSS

0.21%, higher than 10.0% of all CVEssource

CISA KEV

not listedthe KEV catalogue

Debian urgency

unimportantsource

Subsystem

drivers/tty

Upstream fixes

The versions the CNA records as introducing and fixing this, and the commit for each. source

Introduced	Fixed in	Commit
6.15	6.18.52	5b77848423f4
6.15	7.2.6	2ad24c1d0b93
6.15	7.3	c0e8cfef7546