Linux Kernel xhci: Mitigate HCE Interrupt Storm
CVE-2026-43488 Published on May 13, 2026
usb: xhci: Prevent interrupt storm on host controller error (HCE)
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
usb: xhci: Prevent interrupt storm on host controller error (HCE)
The xHCI controller reports a Host Controller Error (HCE) in UAS Storage
Device plug/unplug scenarios on Android devices. HCE is checked in
xhci_irq() function and causes an interrupt storm (since the interrupt
isnt cleared), leading to severe system-level faults.
When the xHC controller reports HCE in the interrupt handler, the driver
only logs a warning and assumes xHC activity will stop as stated in xHCI
specification. An interrupt storm does however continue on some hosts
even after HCE, and only ceases after manually disabling xHC interrupt
and stopping the controller by calling xhci_halt().
Add xhci_halt() to xhci_irq() function where STS_HCE status is checked,
mirroring the existing error handling pattern used for STS_FATAL errors.
This only fixes the interrupt storm. Proper HCE recovery requires resetting
and re-initializing the xHC.
Products Associated with CVE-2026-43488
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Affected Versions
Linux:- Version 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and below b2dd9abf8c06cfcbcf242321fd54ae51a4807705 is affected.
- Version 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and below 6f91f3f087194c114d6d8ea4591b850bb00672f8 is affected.
- Version 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and below cd41e0d1df8fcf5eae294657da52b50d1ce03246 is affected.
- Version 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and below 09ff0099c6cf148ff1f7053b5b6c84beb1c2ef8d is affected.
- Version 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and below d6d5febd12452b7fd951fdd15c3ec262f01901a4 is affected.
- Version 6.6.130, <= 6.6.* is unaffected.
- Version 6.12.78, <= 6.12.* is unaffected.
- Version 6.18.19, <= 6.18.* is unaffected.
- Version 6.19.9, <= 6.19.* is unaffected.
- Version 7.0, <= * is unaffected.