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Linux KernelOperating system · Linux

CVE-2026-53066

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-06-24
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 6.1.175 / 6.6.141 or later.
See remediation →
57/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click 8 weeks old

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/sun4i: backend: fix error pointer dereference The function drm_atomic_get_plane_state() can return an error pointer and is not checked for it. Add error pointer check. Detected by Smatch: drivers/gpu/drm/sun4i/sun4i_backend.c:496 sun4i_backend_atomic_check() error: 'plane_state' dereferencing possible ERR_PTR()

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

In the Linux kernel DRM driver for Allwinner sun4i graphics, the function sun4i_backend_atomic_check() calls drm_atomic_get_plane_state() but fails to check if the returned value is an error pointer before dereferencing it. This can lead to kernel panic or undefined behavior when an ERR_PTR is dereferenced.

MitigationAdd an error pointer check immediately after the drm_atomic_get_plane_state() call in sun4i_backend_atomic_check() and return the error if the result is an ERR_PTR.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Linux KernelOperating system
Affected:>= 4.17, < 6.1.175>= 6.2, < 6.6.141>= 6.7, < 6.12.91>= 6.13, < 6.18.33>= 6.19, < 7.0.10

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check kernel version
    Run 'uname -r' or 'cat /proc/version' to get the running kernel version
    Affected if The version falls within any of these ranges: >= 4.17 and < 6.1.175; >= 6.2 and < 6.6.141; >= 6.7 and < 6.12.91; >= 6.13 and < 6.18.33; >= 6.19 and < 7.0.10
  2. Identify if sun4i DRM driver is present
    Check for the presence of 'sun4i' in the DRM subsystem: grep -i sun4i /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/modules.alias or check /sys/module/ for sun4i related modules
    Affected if The sun4i DRM backend driver (typically 'sun4i-drm' or 'sun4i-backend') is loaded or built into the kernel
  3. Confirm DRM subsystem is in use
    Check if DRM devices exist: ls /sys/class/drm/ or check 'dmesg | grep -i drm' for DRM initialization messages
    Affected if The DRM subsystem is active and the sun4i backend is initialized
  4. Verify vulnerable code path exists
    Examine the kernel source file drivers/gpu/drm/sun4i/sun4i_backend.c around line 496, looking for the unchecked dereference of drm_atomic_get_plane_state() return value
    Affected if The source code contains the vulnerable pattern without ERR_PTR validation before dereferencing

You are affected if you are running a kernel version in the affected ranges AND the sun4i DRM backend driver is loaded or compiled into the kernel.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 6.1.175 / 6.6.141 / 6.12.91 or later
Fixed in 6.1.1756.6.1416.12.91
Interim mitigation

Add an error pointer check immediately after the drm_atomic_get_plane_state() call in sun4i_backend_atomic_check() and return the error if the result is an ERR_PTR.

Recommended fix High confidence

Linux kernel >= 6.1.175, >= 6.6.141, >= 6.12.91, or >= 6.18.33 (depending on your kernel branch)

  1. 1. Identify the current running kernel version using `uname -r`
  2. 2. Upgrade the Linux kernel to a fixed release: For kernel 6.1.x series, upgrade to >= 6.1.175; For kernel 6.2-6.5.x, upgrade to >= 6.6.141; For kernel 6.6-6.11.x, upgrade to >= 6.12.91; For kernel 6.12-6.17.x, upgrade to >= 6.18.33
  3. 3. If using a distribution package manager (e.g., apt, yum, dnf), run `sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade` or equivalent to install the newer kernel package
  4. 4. Reboot the system to load the patched kernel: `sudo reboot`
  5. 5. After reboot, verify the kernel version is now >= the fixed release using `uname -r`
Caveat Kernel upgrades may require matching kernel modules or firmware; ensure compatibility with system hardware and installed drivers before upgrading

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Linux Kernel Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation1.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
7.0 hours of engineering $1,210
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-53066 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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