Description
There is a logic error in io_uring's implementation which can be used to trigger a use-after-free vulnerability leading to privilege escalation.
In the io_prep_async_work function the assumption that the last io_grab_identity call cannot return false is not true, and in this case the function will use the init_cred or the previous linked requests identity to do operations instead of using the current identity. This can lead to reference counting issues causing use-after-free. We recommend upgrading past version 5.10.161.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.10 – ≤ 5.10.161 | — |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | linux | 5.14.6-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 5.14.6-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 5.14.6-1 | — |
| Debian 10 | linux-5.10 | 5.10.162-1~deb10u1 | DLA-3349-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-riscv +22 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
Advisories 2
- DLA-3349-1 linux-5.10 - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- WID-SEC-2023-0227 Linux Kernel: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Privilegieneskalation BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Mar 2, 2023