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CVE-2026-89791

high

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf: Fix use-after-free when perf mmap() revival races with the last munmap() perf_mmap_…

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf: Fix use-after-free when perf mmap() revival races with the last munmap() perf_mmap_close() drops rb->mmap_count *without* holding event->mmap_mutex (the refcount_dec_and_test() right before the refcount_dec_and_mutex_lock() of event->mmap_count). A concurrent perf_mmap_rb() can slot its entire "revival" path into that window (perf_mmap holds event->mmap_mutex for its whole duration, including rb_alloc): munmap side (perf_mmap_close) mmap side (perf_mmap_rb) ----------------------------------- -------------------------------- rb->mmap_count 1 -> 0 (no lock) (holds event->mmap_mutex) inc_not_zero(rb->mmap_count) fails ring_buffer_attach(event, NULL) rb_alloc() + attach new rb refcount_set(&event->mmap_count, 1) lock; event->mmap_count 1 -> 0 ring_buffer_attach(event, NULL) ring_buffer_put() -> frees the *new* rb The revival's refcount_set(&event->mmap_count, 1) is an invisible 1 -> 1 write: the close frees the just-revived buffer although the other process still has it mapped -- a page-level use-after-free allowing local privilege escalation to root by any unprivileged user (default kernel.perf_event_paranoid=2). Swap the order of the two counter updates: event->mmap_count is dropped first via refcount_dec_and_mutex_lock(), so its 1 -> 0 transition and the ring_buffer_attach() stay serialized with perf_mmap(). rb->mmap_count == 0 then implies every event using the buffer is detached already, so the result of the rb->mmap_count drop can gate the remaining teardown directly and detach_rest is no longer needed. An earlier fix for this race from Kyle Zeng and David Lee takes event->mmap_mutex around both counter updates [0]; here the not-last close stays lockless.

CVSS
7.8
7.8 (CVSS v3.1)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Severity source: NVD CVSS v3.1 (416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67)
Timeline (UTC)
Published: 2026-09-16 09:17
Modified: 2026-10-19 09:18
NVD status: Received
Last synced 2 days ago
Verified against the source API 2026-10-27 06:54 UTC
Exploitation
Not listed in CISA KEV (as of last catalog sync)
Absence from KEV does not mean a CVE is not exploited. Exploitation status: unknown (no authoritative evidence in our sources).

Affected products

Not reported by the source (unknown — not "none").

Mitigation & advisories

No vendor advisory or patch reference tagged by NVD. Check the references below.

References

Data sources

NVD CVE API 2.0 — fetched 2026-10-27 06:54 UTC · record ↗

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