Cloudanix VulnDB

CVE-2026-68241

None

CVSS

—

EPSS

0.2%

Published

Aug 10, 2026

CISA due date

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Cloudanix analysis

Schedule a fix SSVC: Track

A bug in Linux graphics handling for certain multi-monitor setups could let a faulty display device freeze the computer until it is restarted.

Exploitation
Physical Access
Attacker needs
Physical Access
Complexity
Moderate
Impact
Denial Of Service
Component
OS kernel
Class
Denial of service
Remediation
Upgrade
Effort
Medium
Patch risk
Low

What it actually does

Unbounded interrupt servicing loop in intel_dp_check_mst_status() allows a stuck DisplayPort MST sink to generate interrupts indefinitely, consuming CPU and potentially hanging the kernel driver thread.

Why it matters to the business

Systems using Intel graphics with multi-monitor DisplayPort setups may experience freezes, high CPU usage, or require reboots, disrupting user sessions and workloads until the driver recovers or the system is restarted.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with local access or the ability to attach a malicious or faulty DP MST sink device triggers repeated ESI interrupts; the kernel loop services them without limit until the arbitrary 32-iteration bound is added, leading to denial of service.

How to fix it

Apply the upstream fix that caps the ESI service loop at 32 iterations; rebuild and deploy the patched kernel; test with connected DP MST displays to confirm the loop terminates.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the presence of the bounded loop (maximum 32 iterations) in intel_dp_check_mst_status(); exercise DP MST hot-plug and status interrupt paths under load and verify the driver thread does not hang.

Typical attack path

  1. Attach or configure a DisplayPort MST device that continuously asserts ESI status interrupts
  2. Trigger the intel_dp_check_mst_status() path in the i915 driver
  3. Observe unbounded loop execution consuming CPU and stalling the driver
  4. Cause system unresponsiveness or forced reboot

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for repeated i915 or drm messages around DP MST status handling; look for high CPU usage in kworker or i915 threads coinciding with display hot-plug events; correlate with physical attachment of external DP MST devices.

What your security team should do

  • Prioritize kernel updates containing commit b4ea5272133059acb493cc36599071a9e852ec2e on all Intel i915 systems
  • Monitor for display-related kernel hangs in production environments using multi-monitor DP MST
  • Test graphics driver stability after patching before broad rollout

The record

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/i915/mst: limit DP MST ESI service loop The loop in intel_dp_check_mst_status() keeps servicing interrupts originating from the sink without bound. Add an upper bound to the new interrupts occurring during interrupt processing to not get stuck on potentially stuck sink devices. Use arbitrary 32 tries to clear incoming interrupts in one go. Discovered using AI-assisted static analysis confirmed by Intel Product Security. Note: The condition likely pre-dates the commit in the Fixes: tag, but this is about as far back as a backport has any chance of succeeding. Before that, the retry had a goto. (cherry picked from commit b4ea5272133059acb493cc36599071a9e852ec2e)

Affected packages

Ecosystem Package Introduced Fixed