# CVE-2026-43488: usb: xhci: Prevent interrupt storm on host controller error (HCE)

Status: published. Published: 2026-05-13. Updated: 2026-11-06.

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
isn’t 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.

## Remediation

No remediation reported in collected sources

## Affected products and versions

- Linux / Linux: ≥ 2a25e66d676dfb9b018abd503deed3d38a892dec; < b2dd9abf8c06cfcbcf242321fd54ae51a4807705 (affected, git); ≥ 2a25e66d676dfb9b018abd503deed3d38a892dec; < 6f91f3f087194c114d6d8ea4591b850bb00672f8 (affected, git); ≥ 2a25e66d676dfb9b018abd503deed3d38a892dec; < cd41e0d1df8fcf5eae294657da52b50d1ce03246 (affected, git); ≥ 2a25e66d676dfb9b018abd503deed3d38a892dec; < 09ff0099c6cf148ff1f7053b5b6c84beb1c2ef8d (affected, git); ≥ 2a25e66d676dfb9b018abd503deed3d38a892dec; < d6d5febd12452b7fd951fdd15c3ec262f01901a4 (affected, git). Source: CNA: Linux
- Linux / Linux: 6.2 (affected); ≥ 0; < 6.2 (unaffected, semver); ≥ 6.6.130; ≤ 6.6.* (unaffected, semver); ≥ 6.12.78; ≤ 6.12.* (unaffected, semver); ≥ 6.18.19; ≤ 6.18.* (unaffected, semver); ≥ 6.19.9; ≤ 6.19.* (unaffected, semver); ≥ 7.0; ≤ * (unaffected, original_commit_for_fix). Source: CNA: Linux

## Severity and prioritization

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.11% as of 2026-11-06; percentile 1.47%

- SSVC: exploitation none; automatable no; technical impact partial; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: Not reported

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b2dd9abf8c06cfcbcf242321fd54ae51a4807705 (CNA: Linux)

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6f91f3f087194c114d6d8ea4591b850bb00672f8 (CNA: Linux)

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cd41e0d1df8fcf5eae294657da52b50d1ce03246 (CNA: Linux)

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/09ff0099c6cf148ff1f7053b5b6c84beb1c2ef8d (CNA: Linux)

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d6d5febd12452b7fd951fdd15c3ec262f01901a4 (CNA: Linux)

## Provenance

- CNA: Linux: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-43488; retrieved 2026-11-06; source updated 2026-11-06

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-43488; retrieved 2026-11-06; source updated Not reported

Revision: 255570abcbc3ab65fb6b9146365cdb3bf59036df8446e94567bc6f7f87e5327c

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-43488

## Agent and API access

Public CVE pages, Markdown, and JSON are free to read without an account or API key.

- Public catalog: https://y2.dev/cve/index.json. Follow nextCursor with the same search, filters, sort, and limit (1–100). A null cursor marks the end.

- WebMCP: search_cve_disclosures, get_cve_disclosure, get_cve_page_markdown, get_y2_cve_access. Available in compatible browsers.

- Cyber API: https://api.y2.dev/api/v2/cyber/cves and https://api.y2.dev/api/v2/cyber/cves/{cveId}.

- Y2 Pro or Elite: create a workspace API key with the intel:cyber scope and send Authorization: Bearer <Y2_API_KEY>. Setup: https://y2.dev/docs/api/create-key.

- x402: Pay per request without an account or API key. Omit Authorization, read the HTTP 402 PAYMENT-REQUIRED challenge, validate its current requirements, and retry with PAYMENT-SIGNATURE through an authorized payment client. These browser tools never make payments. Guide: https://y2.dev/docs/api/x402.

- OpenAPI: https://y2.dev/api/openapi.yaml. Agent access metadata: https://y2.dev/cve/agent.json.

Collected public records only. Check source status for coverage and freshness.