Bug 2481871 (CVE-2026-45837) - CVE-2026-45837 kernel: bpf: Fix use-after-free in arena_vm_close on fork
Summary: CVE-2026-45837 kernel: bpf: Fix use-after-free in arena_vm_close on fork
Keywords:
Status: NEW
Alias: CVE-2026-45837
Product: Security Response
Classification: Other
Component: vulnerability
Version: unspecified
Hardware: All
OS: Linux
medium
medium
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Product Security DevOps Team
QA Contact:
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On:
Blocks:
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2026-05-27 11:01 UTC by OSIDB Bzimport
Modified: 2026-06-17 09:51 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

Fixed In Version:
Clone Of:
Environment:
Last Closed:
Embargoed:


Attachments (Terms of Use)

Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-05-27 11:01:50 UTC
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

bpf: Fix use-after-free in arena_vm_close on fork

arena_vm_open() only bumps vml->mmap_count but never registers the
child VMA in arena->vma_list. The vml->vma always points at the
parent VMA, so after parent munmap the pointer dangles. If the child
then calls bpf_arena_free_pages(), zap_pages() reads the stale
vml->vma triggering use-after-free.

Fix this by preventing the arena VMA from being inherited across
fork with VM_DONTCOPY, and preventing VMA splits via the may_split
callback.

Also reject mremap with a .mremap callback returning -EINVAL. A
same-size mremap(MREMAP_FIXED) on the full arena VMA reaches
copy_vma() through the following path:

  check_prep_vma()       - returns 0 early: new_len == old_len
                           skips VM_DONTEXPAND check
  prep_move_vma()        - vm_start == old_addr and
                           vm_end == old_addr + old_len
                           so may_split is never called
  move_vma()
    copy_vma_and_data()
      copy_vma()
        vm_area_dup()    - copies vm_private_data (vml pointer)
        vm_ops->open()   - bumps vml->mmap_count
      vm_ops->mremap()   - returns -EINVAL, rollback unmaps new VMA

The refcount ensures the rollback's arena_vm_close does not free
the vml shared with the original VMA.


Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.