CVE-2026-98861 json
fprobe: Use guard(rcu_sched_notrace) and check rcu_is_watching()
published 2026-10-18 21 d ago modified 2026-10-19 20 d ago also EUVD-2026-103801
- cvss
- —
- not scored
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 0.2%
- EPSS 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 5%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
fprobe: Use guard(rcu_sched_notrace) and check rcu_is_watching()
unregister_fprobe() and unregister_fprobe_async() (used by BPF kprobe-multi) rely on standard RCU grace periods (synchronize_rcu() and call_rcu()) to wait until in-flight fprobe handlers complete before freeing the fprobe.
However, if an fprobe handler executes while RCU is not watching (such as in the idle loop or nohz_full extended quiescent states), standard RCU does not track preemption-disabled sections. Consequently, synchronize_rcu() does not wait for those executions, which can lead to a use-after-free if the fprobe is freed immediately after unregistration. Ensure handlers exit early when !rcu_is_watching().
Furthermore, fprobe_fgraph_entry() and fprobe_ftrace_entry() previously used guard(rcu)() and rcu_read_lock(), which invoke lockdep on every hit under CONFIG_PROVE_LOCKING. This adds overhead and can cause lockdep recursion if probed functions interact with lockdep.
Since rhltable_lookup() and rhl_for_each_entry_rcu() use rcu_dereference_all_check() (which checks rcu_read_lock_any_held()), holding preemption disabled via rcu_read_lock_sched_notrace() is fully valid and sufficient so long as rcu_is_watching() is true.
Define and use guard(rcu_sched_notrace)() across fprobe_ftrace_entry(), fprobe_fgraph_entry(), and fprobe_return(). This eliminates fast-path rcu_read_lock() and lockdep overhead while guaranteeing safe grace period synchronization.
Patch / fix
- Linux Linux 6.18.56, 7.1, 7.2.10, 7.3
- linux Debian 14 7.2.10-1
debian advisories DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98861
Vendor advisories
What the vendors themselves say about their products: affected, fixed or not affected, and what to do.
red hat product security vex CVE-2026-98861 updated cvss 4.7
kernel: kernel: Denial of Service via fprobe use-after-free
-
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 kernelaffected: workaround, no fix available “Fix deferred”
Red Hat CSAF VEX © Red Hat, Inc., from https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/; changed: reduced to product statuses and remediations. CC BY 4.0 · csaf
Exploit prediction
0.17% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 5% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).
Affected products
- Linux Linux
Classification
- Technology feeds
References
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2026-98861
- NVD CVE-2026-98861
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