Bug 2535070 (CVE-2026-89791) - CVE-2026-89791 kernel: perf: Fix use-after-free when perf mmap() revival races with the last munmap()
Summary: CVE-2026-89791 kernel: perf: Fix use-after-free when perf mmap() revival race...
Keywords:
Status: NEW
Alias: CVE-2026-89791
Product: Security Response
Classification: Other
Component: vulnerability
Version: unspecified
Hardware: All
OS: Linux
high
high
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Product Security
QA Contact:
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On:
Blocks:
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2026-09-16 09:11 UTC by OSIDB Bzimport
Modified: 2026-10-06 16:54 UTC (History)
17 users (show)

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


Attachments (Terms of Use)

Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-09-16 09:11:31 UTC
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.


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