---
id: "CVE-2026-98877"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-98877"]
title: "Linux kernel: GICv4 vLPI setup crashes when no ITS is present"
severity: "low"
cvss: null
epss: 0.00215
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "runtime"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["arm64", "kvm", "linux-kernel", "runtime"]
not_affected_if: ["default-config"]
published_at: "2026-10-23T12:18:21+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:33+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T12:38:51+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98877", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:33+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-98877", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-25T12:38:51+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel: GICv4 vLPI setup crashes when no ITS is present

When the kernel is started with kvm-arm.vgic_v4_enable=1 on an ARM system that has GICv4 but no MSI controller (ITS) device tree node, the GIC irqchip code dereferences a NULL gic_domain and panics. The fix stops advertising vLPI support when no ITS has been probed.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- unknown

## Fix

- Update the Linux kernel to a release that includes the commit 'irqchip/gic-v4: Don't advertise VLPIs if no ITS is probed'.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:33+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98877
- 2026-10-25T12:38:51+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-98877

## From the sources

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

irqchip/gic-v4: Don't advertise VLPIs if no ITS is probed

When accidentally setting “kvm-arm.vgic_v4_enable=1” on a system that has
no MSI controller device tree node and GICv4, it results a panic as
“gic_domain” is NULL and the kernel attempts to access it.

    Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000028
    Mem abort info:
      ESR = 0x0000000096000006

    CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 295 Comm: lkvm-static Not tainted 7.1.0-rc4-ge3f15ad3970e #5 PREEMPT
    Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT)
    pstate: 81402005 (Nzcv daif +PAN -UAO -TCO +DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--)
    pc : __irq_domain_instantiate+0x1d4/0x578
    lr : __irq_domain_instantiate+0x1cc/0x578

Set vLPI support to false at init time if the host has no ITS, so it
propagates properly to kvm_vgic_global_state.has_gicv4.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_