[CVE-2026-97497][MODERATE 7.0] drm/amdkfd: Check bounds for allocate_sdma_queue restore_sdma_id [ Upstream

[AL-KERNEL <alkernel@kernelcve.org>]

CVE: CVE-2026-97497
Priority: MODERATE 7.0
AL-KERNEL base severity: MODERATE
KPANIC flag: YES
Patch: drm/amdkfd: Check bounds for allocate_sdma_queue restore_sdma_id [ Upstream
Commit: 42f2bd50236b61ad0aeb2c233c990ee0d615fdad
Upstream patch: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/commit/?id=42f2bd50236b61ad0aeb2c233c990ee0d615fdad
Original CVE announcement: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/?q=CVE-2026-97497
Analysis date: Thu, 24 Sep 2026 20:20:48 -0400
ActionableScore: 5
ActionableScore lower bound: unknown
Actionable bucket: Actionable Moderate / Strong Important candidate requiring manual review
Manual review required: YES

Summary:
No one-sentence report phrase was found.

======================================================================
ABOUT THIS REPORT
======================================================================

The original Linux kernel CVE announcement for CVE-2026-97497 is available here:
https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/?q=CVE-2026-97497

The original announcement does not normally provide a security severity
estimate, CVSS assessment, or enough information to determine whether the
reported kernel bug represents a practically relevant security issue.

This report was generated by AL-KERNEL, an AI-assisted Linux kernel
vulnerability analysis system developed by Alexander Larkin. It combines
an autonomous classifier with LLM-assisted technical analysis and a
separate ActionableScore mechanism.

The purpose of this report is to prioritize Linux kernel CVEs before
manual review, identify cases that require prompt investigation, and
support automatic closure of issues that are unlikely to have meaningful
security impact.

Published priority for this report: MODERATE 7.0
Manual review required: YES

A detailed explanation of the methodology and priority rules is included
at the end of this message.

======================================================================
AL-KERNEL CLASSIFICATION RESULT
======================================================================

CVE-2026-97497	MODERATE	https://www.kernelcve.org/list/?q=CVE-2026-97497 CHECK WITH IMPACT FROM ORIG NN LOW	Maybe valid. Check manually. Hints by AL-KERNEL: The best (paranoid) CVSS is 'AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H';CWE-129;CWE-125;*CWE-787;Other CVSS 'AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H';BEST CVSS score: '7';DESCR 'An insufficient bounds check in amdkfd allows restore_sdma_id to exceed the number of available SDMA or XGMI SDMA queues during CRIU queue restoration. The unchecked identifier is used as a bitmap index in allocate_sdma_queue(), which can cause an out of bounds bit read and may permit an out of bounds bit modification in the subsequent allocation path. This creates a potential kernel memory corruption condition that can cause a crash and may provide a path to local privilege escalation if the affected bit and surrounding kernel state can be controlled reliably. For the CVSS the PR:L value is selected because a local process with access to AMD KFD and the queue restoration interface is required, but full administrative privileges are not necessarily required. AC:H is selected because reliable exploitation depends on bitmap layout, the value of the out of bounds bit, and the effects of changing a single bit at a calculated offset. The issue is not network reachable. Impact is at least a local denial of service via kernel crash and in the worst case may affect confidentiality and integrity through kernel memory corruption. YES REQUIRES MANUAL CHECK.';YES REQUIRES MANUAL CHECK; ,and ActionableScore result is Actionable Moderate / Strong Important candidate requiring manual review (with actual score 5)  SKIP CVE-2026-97497 UNKNOWN SKIP No affected files built, so skip this CVE NO  - - unknown 	MAYBE	HARDWARE  KPANIC INCREASED_TO_MODERATE7_FROM_LOW_BASED_ON_GUESSCVSS_AND_ACTIONABLESCOREHIGHER4	-	-	checked

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ACTIONABLESCORE ANALYSIS
======================================================================

ActionableScore=5
PrimitiveClass=CLASS_A
RealUAF=NO
HostAdminRequired=UNKNOWN
NamespaceScopedPrivilege=NO
ImportantCandidate=YES
ManualReview=REQUIRED
AutoDowngradeAllowed=NO

1. ActionableScore

* Raw conservative score: 4
* Conservative score: 5
* Raw paranoid score: 4
* Paranoid score: 5
* Applied conservative floor: 4 -> 5 because an attacker-influenced out-of-bounds bitmap modification is a concrete strong corruption primitive requiring manual review.
* Applied paranoid floor: 4 -> 5 for the same reason. No unsupported LPE or disclosure bonus was added.
* Final recommended bucket: **Actionable Moderate / Strong Important candidate requiring manual review**::

2. Signal breakdown

* +2 Strong corruption primitive. The attacker-supplied `restore_sdma_id` is used as an unchecked bitmap index. The allocation path can subsequently mutate the selected bitmap bit, producing an attacker-directed, although bit-limited, out-of-bounds kernel write.
* +1 Integrity impact. An out-of-range queue identifier can cause modification of a kernel bitmap word or adjacent kernel state outside the valid SDMA queue range.
* +1 Reliable kernel crash or strong DoS concern. An out-of-bounds atomic bitmap operation can corrupt adjacent state or access invalid memory and plausibly fault the kernel.
* +0 Confidentiality. The visible `test_bit()` performs an out-of-bounds read, but no path returning the read kernel data to userspace is established.
* +0 Local unprivileged trigger. Access below host-admin privilege is plausible for KFD users, but the complete privilege checks for the CRIU restore operation are not supplied.
* +0 Strong LPE bonus. The bit position is attacker-selected, but the write is constrained to clearing a bit and may depend on the preceding `test_bit()` result. Credential corruption, controlled object replacement, or arbitrary write is not demonstrated.
* +0 Remote reachability. This is a local AMD KFD device and CRIU restoration path.
* No race penalty applies. The defect is deterministic input validation failure rather than a timing race.
* No hardware rarity penalty applies. AMD GPU hardware is required, but the supplied evidence does not establish genuinely rare or physical-only conditions.
* No additional availability point was awarded because it would duplicate the same potential kernel crash.
* No UAF, controlled reclaim, callback influence, arbitrary read, or full arbitrary write is established.

3. Reachability analysis

The trigger requires an AMD KFD process restoration operation supplying `restore_sdma_id`, access to the relevant `/dev/kfd` device, and compatible AMD GPU hardware. The identifier is intended for CRIU restoration and is directly used to select an SDMA or XGMI SDMA queue.

The supplied evidence does not show the complete authorization checks around the KFD CRIU ioctl. It therefore does not establish whether an ordinary GPU user, a process with a delegated device descriptor, a process with checkpoint or restore capabilities, or host root is required. `HostAdminRequired=UNKNOWN` is appropriate, and no privilege penalty or unprivileged-trigger bonus is applied.

This path is not meaningfully user-namespace scoped. No network trigger, namespace capability chain, sysctl dependency, race, or prior network configuration is involved. AMD KFD support, an accessible GPU device, and use of the CRIU queue restoration path are prerequisites.

4. Primitive and severity interpretation

The exact defect is an unchecked attacker-influenced queue identifier used as an index into `sdma_bitmap` or `xgmi_sdma_bitmap`. The immediately visible primitive is an out-of-bounds bit read through `test_bit()`. In the normal allocation path, the accepted identifier is reused to reserve the selected queue through a bitmap mutation, yielding a directed but constrained out-of-bounds bit clear.

This is active kernel resource-allocation state rather than passive diagnostic metadata. It is not a UAF, repeated release, stale-object operation, or cleanup-only fault. `RealUAF=NO`.

The primitive is classified as CLASS_A because an attacker-influenced out-of-bounds kernel write is available once the invalid identifier passes the bitmap test. Its limitations are significant: the operation changes only one bit, the operation is a clear rather than an arbitrary value write, and successful progression may depend on the original out-of-bounds bit being set.

A kernel crash and corruption of queue-management or adjacent kernel state are practical consequences. Local privilege escalation is technically plausible only if the attacker can select a useful adjacent bit and turn the constrained corruption into additional leverage. That exploitation chain is not demonstrated.

`ImportantCandidate=YES` and `AutoDowngradeAllowed=NO` follow from the concrete attacker-directed kernel corruption primitive. Manual inspection is needed to determine the exact bitmap layout, maximum controllable index, later `clear_bit()` behavior, allocation boundaries, and privilege checks on the CRIU restore interface.

5. One-sentence report phrase

An unchecked CRIU restore SDMA queue identifier can index beyond amdkfd queue bitmaps and potentially clear an attacker-selected out-of-bounds kernel bit, requiring manual review for crash and local privilege-escalation impact.

6. Manual review recommendation

MANUAL CHECK REQUIRED

Confirm the complete path after `test_bit()`, the allocation and adjacency of both bitmaps, the range and type of `restore_sdma_id`, and whether KFD CRIU restoration is available below host-admin privilege.

7. Call-site confidence

Call-site confidence: medium

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UPSTREAM PATCH SUMMARY
======================================================================

Patch: drm/amdkfd: Check bounds for allocate_sdma_queue restore_sdma_id [ Upstream
Commit: 42f2bd50236b61ad0aeb2c233c990ee0d615fdad
Upstream URL: https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/commit/?id=42f2bd50236b61ad0aeb2c233c990ee0d615fdad

Changed files:
  drivers/gpu/drm/amd/amdkfd/kfd_device_queue_manager.c

Diff excerpt:

Not included in this email. See the upstream URL for the full patch.

Full patch:
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/commit/?id=42f2bd50236b61ad0aeb2c233c990ee0d615fdad

======================================================================
DETAILED REPORT METHODOLOGY
======================================================================

The original Linux kernel CVE announcement for CVE-2026-97497 can be found here:
https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/?q=CVE-2026-97497

The original CVE announcement normally does not include a security-level
estimate. In particular, it may not contain a CVSS assessment, an impact
level, or enough information to determine whether the reported bug is a
practically relevant security issue. One purpose of this parallel CVE list
is to provide that missing technical and prioritization information.

The original goal of the AL-KERNEL project was to prioritize Linux kernel
CVE analysis automatically before manual review. The system can also help
identify non-security issues that may be suitable for automatic closure.

This report was generated by AL-KERNEL, an AI-assisted Linux kernel
vulnerability analysis system developed by Alexander Larkin.

The first analysis stage combines an autonomous classifier with additional
LLM-based analysis. The autonomous classifier runs locally on a CPU and is
based on a backpropagation neural network. Together, these mechanisms
produce a technical vulnerability description, identify likely weakness
types, estimate CVSS severity, and provide input for ActionableScore.

Two CVSS estimates are retained because incomplete kernel vulnerability
information often permits more than one defensible interpretation:

  Conservative CVSS vector: AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H
  The Best / paranoid CVSS vector: AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
  The Best / paranoid CVSS score: 7

The conservative vector represents a lower-impact interpretation.
The Best/paranoid vector intentionally represents a plausible upper-bound
interpretation and should not automatically be treated as demonstrated
real-world impact.

CVSS may also need to be adjusted for a particular Linux deployment,
because actual reachability, privileges, enabled kernel configuration,
hardware, namespaces, exposed device nodes, and other environmental
conditions can differ significantly between systems.

A separate ActionableScore mechanism evaluates practical remediation
urgency. Its analysis may include reachability, attack prerequisites,
subsystem exposure, memory-corruption characteristics, denial-of-service
reliability, and possible confidentiality, integrity, or
privilege-escalation impact.

  Conservative ActionableScore: unknown
  Paranoid ActionableScore: 5

The final base severity is taken directly from the second tab-separated
field of the AL-KERNEL classification result. ActionableScore does not
replace or independently override that final AL-KERNEL decision, and
if ActionableScore adjusted impact level of ALKERNEL, then you would see
self-readable flags above like INCREASED_TO_HIGH_BASED_ON_ACTIONABLESCOREHIGHEREQTHAN7.

For an AL-KERNEL result of MODERATE, this report uses the following
additional presentation split:

  ActionableScore below 5   -> MODERATE REGULAR
  ActionableScore 5 or more -> MODERATE 7.0

The distinction between MODERATE REGULAR and MODERATE 7.0 makes it
possible to identify Moderate issues that should receive manual analysis
and fixes before lower-priority MODERATE REGULAR issues. In many cases,
MODERATE REGULAR fixes may wait for a later rebase or routine update.

There is one override in which MODERATE REGULAR becomes MODERATE 7.0
even when the ActionableScore is below 5. When the AL-KERNEL result
contains the KPANIC flag, a MODERATE result is always presented as
MODERATE 7.0. The KPANIC flag selected with few regexps without
usage of AI at all, so it helps to detect cases when Kernel Crash happens
and similar (to filter False-Negative results from the LLM usage).

KPANIC indicates that a reliable kernel crash, kernel panic, or similarly
serious kernel availability impact was identified by the classification
workflow.

AL-KERNEL base severity for this report: MODERATE
KPANIC detected for this report: YES
Published priority for this report (same as in Subject): MODERATE 7.0

These results are intended to support engineering triage. They are
machine-generated estimates, and cases marked for manual review should
be validated by a human security engineer before final disposition.
For more info read docs linked from here: https://kernelcve.org/
(and you can submit you own patch there to generate such a report
for non-existant CVE-id yet).

Note that in many cases this AI tool selects higher severity, than
real is (means you can expect Importants instead of Moderate 7.0 or
Moderates 7.0 instead of regular Moderates). If you see such cases,
please use reply email interface to add additional manual analyses
info to this particular CVE.
And please, please, let me know when you see Lows instead of Importants
or Important instead of Low (because particular for such cases I
need to tune this AI tool to make it better for this one and next similar).
My contact email for such notifications is alexanjelausa@gmail.com (and both
send reply to CVE record itself too and see "reply" button below for howto reply).