Description
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.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.18 | 6.18.52 |
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 | 7.2.6-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux | 7.0.0-42.42 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-aws | 7.0.0-1016.17 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-azure | 7.0.0-1020.21 | USN-9019-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde | 7.0.0-1019.19 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-gcp | 7.0.0-1016.18 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-gke | 7.0.0-1010.11 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-ibm +1 | 7.0.0-1017.17 | USN-8960-1, USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-nvidia +1 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-oracle | 7.0.0-1015.16 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-raspi | 7.0.0-1023.23 | USN-9021-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-realtime | 7.0.0-43.43.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-riscv | 7.0.0-42.42.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-aws-7.0 | 7.0.0-1017.18~24.04.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde-7.0 | 7.0.0-1019.19~24.04.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-gcp-7.0 | 7.0.0-1017.19~24.04.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-hwe-7.0 | 7.0.0-42.42~24.04.1 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-oracle-7.0 | 7.0.0-1016.18~24.04.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv +27 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv-7.0 | 7.0.0-42.42.1~24.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +32 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime-6.14 +1 | No fix yet | — |
AlmaLinux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux 10 | rv +74 | 6.12.0-211.68.1.el10_2 | ALSA-2026:88477 |
Rocky Linux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Linux 10 | kernel | 6.12.0-211.68.1.el10_2 | RLSA-2026:88477 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 16.0 | kernel-64kb +8 | 6.12.0-160000.39.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:24235-1 |
| SLES for SAP 16.0 | kernel-default-base | 6.12.0-160000.39.1.160000.2.26 | SUSE-SU-2026:24235-1 |
| SLES 16.0 | kernel-64kb +8 | 6.12.0-160000.39.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:24235-1, SUSE-SU-2026:24197-1 |
| SLES 16.0 | kernel-default-base | 6.12.0-160000.39.1.160000.2.26 | SUSE-SU-2026:24235-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.2 | kernel-default-base | 6.12.0-160000.39.1.160000.2.26 | SUSE-SU-2026:24184-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.2 | kernel-rt +5 | 6.12.0-160000.39.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:24184-1, SUSE-SU-2026:24179-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | kernel-source | 7.2.7-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:11880-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | kernel-default-base | 6.12.0-160000.39.1.160000.2.25 | openSUSE-SU-2026:22091-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | kernel-rt +11 | 6.12.0-160000.39.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:22091-1 |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2023 | kernel-livepatch-6.18.54-121.166 | 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2026-3192 |
| Amazon Linux 2023 | perf6.18 +12 | 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2026-3192 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 10 | rv +29 | 6.12.0-211.68.1.el10_2 | ELSA-2026-88477 |
Advisories 16
- USN-9021-1 linux-raspi vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- WID-SEC-2026-3412 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9020-1 linux-aws-7.0, linux-azure-fde, linux-azure-fde-7.0, linux-gcp-7.0, linux-gke, linux-oracle-7.0, linux-realtime vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-8959-1 linux, linux-aws, linux-gcp, linux-hwe-7.0, linux-ibm, linux-oracle vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9019-1 linux-azure vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-8960-1 linux-oem-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- ALSA-2026:88477 Important: kernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update AlmaLinux Security Advisories · Oct 29, 2026
- ALAS2023-2026-3192 Important: kernel6.18 security update (Amazon Linux 2023) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Oct 26, 2026
- RLSA-2026:88477 Important: kernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update Rocky Linux Security Advisories · Oct 24, 2026
- ELSA-2026-88477 Important: kernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update (Oracle Linux 10) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Oct 23, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:24235-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Oct 21, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:24197-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Oct 21, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:24184-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Oct 20, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:24179-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Oct 20, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:22091-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Oct 19, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:11880-1 kernel-devel-7.2.7-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Sep 25, 2026