Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
io_uring/waitid: own the request before clearing ->head
io_waitid_remove_wq() only takes the wait queue lock if ->head is set.
io_waitid_wait() clears ->head first thing, before it tries to become the
owner of the request by bumping ->refs. If somebody else owns the request
at that point, nothing keeps it from completing the request while the
wake up handler is still going to touch it:
CPU0 (io_waitid_wait) CPU1 (io_waitid, holds a ref)
list_del_init(&wait->entry)
smp_store_release(&iw->head, NULL)
__do_wait() finds another child
io_waitid_remove_wq()
// ->head == NULL, no locking
io_waitid_finish(), IOU_COMPLETE
// request freed and reused
atomic_fetch_inc(&iw->refs)
The same goes for __io_waitid_cancel() if it claims the request in that
window. ->refs is part of the per opcode data of the request, so this
increments whatever the next user of the request keeps there. If that
happens to be zero, the handler concludes that it owns the request, and
queues io_waitid_cb() for it. With the window held open by a delay, and
the request reused for a receive that is waiting for data:
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in __wake_up_common+0x1ca/0x1f0
__wake_up_sync_key+0x36/0x50
sock_def_readable+0xf1/0x420
unix_stream_sendmsg+0x60b/0x1110
Allocated by task 87:
io_arm_apoll+0x1ed/0x940
Freed by task 87:
__io_submit_flush_completions+0x118d/0x1a10
tctx_task_work_run+0x327/0x950
Only clear ->head once the handler owns the request. If it doesn't, the
owner finds ->head set and has to wait for the lock, which is held by the
caller of the handler. Deleting the already deleted entry again is
harmless.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.12.113 – < 6.12.115, 6.18.52 – < 6.18.60, 6.19 | 6.12.115 |
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 | 7.2.14-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 6.12.115-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 24.04 LTS | linux-bluefield | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.10 | linux +8 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux +49 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +42 | No fix yet | — |
Show 6 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS | linux-realtime-6.8 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS | linux-fips +3 | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | kernel-source | 7.3.3-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:12497-1 |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2023 | kernel-livepatch-6.12.115-140.210 | 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2026-3448 |
| Amazon Linux 2023 | perf6.12 +11 | 1:6.12.115-140.210.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2026-3448 |
Advisories 3
- ALAS2023-2026-3448 Important: kernel6.12 security update (Amazon Linux 2023) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Nov 12, 2026
- WID-SEC-2026-4302 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen ermöglichen nicht spezifizierten Angriff BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 10, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:12497-1 kernel-devel-7.3.3-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Nov 10, 2026
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bf01da1a9cca4a54e5c30b8344e52c26afb87be7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8381a912c65b8de16e8a848225c7c5a56b6ea834
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c10ad2813e15186fb51b37a4d17fafddc99e89a5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e11ce129b34fb9a43b2bbe838df49ea52878d5c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c254eec4364b9f4b4cbdce43be3fb4df5a651a70