Executive brief
A logic error in the ARM System Memory Management Unit (SMMU) v3 driver could allow a local attacker to gain elevated privileges on affected devices. The SMMU is responsible for managing memory access in multi-core processors and mobile devices. An attacker with local access could exploit this flaw to bypass security controls and gain full control of the device without requiring special permissions.
Technical details
The vulnerability is a privilege escalation (EoP) in multiple functions of arm-smmu-v3.c caused by a logic error in the kernel code. It affects the ARM SMMU-v3 driver, which manages IOMMU and memory translation on ARM-based systems. The attack is local and requires no additional execution privileges; user interaction is not needed for exploitation. An attacker with local code execution could exploit this logic error to escalate privileges to kernel level. Patches addressing this issue were released in the September 2026 security bulletin affecting Pixel devices (patch level 2026-09-05 or later).
Affected products
- ARM SMMU-v3 <UNKNOWN>
- Google Pixel devices All supported Pixel devices prior to 2026-09-05 patch level
Timeline
- 2026-09-15: disclosed: Published in Pixel Update Bulletin
- 2026-09-05: patched: Security patch level 2026-09-05 or later addresses this issue