Bug 2536265 (CVE-2026-93191)

Summary: CVE-2026-93191 kernel: smack: fix incorrect task context in smack_msg_queue_msgrcv
Product: [Other] Security Response Reporter: OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component: vulnerabilityAssignee: Product Security <prodsec-ir-bot>
Status: NEW --- QA Contact:
Severity: medium Docs Contact:
Priority: medium    
Version: unspecifiedCC: akhatavk, aos-team-art-private, asdas, dpaolell, jdelft, jupierce, lgarciaa, mbiarnes, ppalepu, ppostler, prdhamdh, rhel-process-autobot, sghai, sidsharm, suppawar, vlaad, watson-tool-maintainers
Target Milestone: ---Keywords: Security
Target Release: ---   
Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
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A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's SMACK (Simplified Mandatory Access Control Kernel) module. The `smack_msg_queue_msgrcv()` function incorrectly checks the permissions of the sending task instead of the receiving task when using a message queue. This allows an unauthorized local user, operating under a different SMACK label, to receive messages intended for another task. This bypasses the system's Mandatory Access Control policy, leading to unauthorized information disclosure.
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oVirt Team: --- RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
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Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-09-17 17:12:56 UTC
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

smack: fix incorrect task context in smack_msg_queue_msgrcv

The smack_msg_queue_msgrcv() function incorrectly checks
the permissions of the 'current' task instead of the
'target' task.

In the msgsnd() syscall path, if a receiver is already waiting,
the pipelined_send() optimization is used to push the message
directly to the receiver task:

    ipc/msg.c`pipelined_send():
    ` smp_store_release(&msr->r_msg, msg)

In this case, the 'sender' (current) task performs the check
on behalf of the 'receiver' task (msr->r_tsk, passed as the
'target' parameter):

  ipc/msg.c`pipelined_send():
  ` security_msg_queue_msgrcv(,, target := msr->r_tsk,,)

However, smack_msg_queue_msgrcv() ignores the 'target' and
checks 'current':

  smack_msg_queue_msgrcv(…)
  ` smk_curacc_msq(isp, MAY_READWRITE); // current task

'current' MAY satisfy smack_msg_queue_msgrcv r/w requirement,
but 'target' (the receiver task) might NOT;
as a result, an unauthorized receiver gets the message,
violating MAC policy.

Test:
1) create a sysv message queue with label “foo”
2) echo "bar foo r" >/smack/load2
3) msgrcv(,,,0,MSG_NOERROR) in "bar"-labeled task.
    The task is waiting for the messages ...
4) msgsnd() from a "foo"-labeled task:
"bar"-labeled task gets the message.

This patch fixes the issue by checking permission on the
'target' task instead of 'current'.

(2008-02-04, Casey Schaufler)