sched_ext: Fix starvation of scx_enable() under fair-class saturation
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched_ext: Fix starvation of scx_enable() under fair-class saturation During scx_enable(), the READY -> ENABLED task switching loop changes the calling thread's sched_class from fair to ext. Since fair has higher priority than ext, saturating fair-class workloads can indefinitely starve the enable thread, hanging the system. This was introduced when the enable path switched from preempt_disable() to scx_bypass() which doesn't protect against fair-class starvation. Note that the original preempt_disable() protection wasn't complete either - in partial switch modes, the calling thread could still be starved after preempt_enable() as it may have been switched to ext class. Fix it by offloading the enable body to a dedicated system-wide RT (SCHED_FIFO) kthread which cannot be starved by either fair or ext class tasks. scx_enable() lazily creates the kthread on first use and passes the ops pointer through a struct scx_enable_cmd containing the kthread_work, then synchronously waits for completion. The workfn runs on a different kthread from sch->helper (which runs disable_work), so it can safely flush disable_work on the error path without deadlock.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.12 and later | 6.12.78, 6.18.20, 6.19.9, 7.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.12 and later Fixed in 6.12.78, 6.18.20, 6.19.9, 7.0 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 10
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12.1 to before 6.12.78; 6.13 to before 6.18.20; 6.19 to before 6.19.9 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12.1 to before 6.12.78; 6.13 to before 6.18.20; 6.19 to before 6.19.9 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.78, 6.18.20, 6.19.9, 7.0
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-43392
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-vww6-hvwf-mv33
References
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Sources
- CVE-2026-43392 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-43392 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-vww6-hvwf-mv33 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-43392 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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