Linux Kernel Vulnerability in i2c-i801 Driver Affecting Hardware State Management

CVE-2026-64205

What is CVE-2026-64205?

A vulnerability in the i2c-i801 driver of the Linux Kernel exposes systems to a serious issue where an unconditional hardware register cleanup during the error handling path can lead to a livelock scenario and subsequent system panic. Under conditions where the SMBus controller is actively engaged by BIOS/ACPI, improper resource management can disrupt ongoing transactions, corrupting the SMBus hardware state machine. This results in persistent error logs being generated which monopolize CPU resources, ultimately triggering a hung task watchdog. The resolution involves ensuring that hardware cleanup tasks are executed appropriately only when resources are rightfully acquired, significantly enhancing stability.

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