futex: Prevent lockup in requeue-PI during signal/ timeout wakeup
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 fixed, 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: futex: Prevent lockup in requeue-PI during signal/ timeout wakeup During wait-requeue-pi (task A) and requeue-PI (task B) the following race can happen: Task A Task B futex_wait_requeue_pi() futex_setup_timer() futex_do_wait() futex_requeue() CLASS(hb, hb1)(&key1); CLASS(hb, hb2)(&key2); *timeout* futex_requeue_pi_wakeup_sync() requeue_state = Q_REQUEUE_PI_IGNORE *blocks on hb->lock* futex_proxy_trylock_atomic() futex_requeue_pi_prepare() Q_REQUEUE_PI_IGNORE => -EAGAIN double_unlock_hb(hb1, hb2) *retry* Task B acquires both hb locks and attempts to acquire the PI-lock of the top most waiter (task B). Task A is leaving early due to a signal/ timeout and started removing itself from the queue. It updates its requeue_state but can not remove it from the list because this requires the hb lock which is owned by task B. Usually task A is able to swoop the lock after task B unlocked it. However if task B is of higher priority then task A may not be able to wake up in time and acquire the lock before task B gets it again. Especially on a UP system where A is never scheduled. As a result task A blocks on the lock and task B busy loops, trying to make progress but live locks the system instead. Tragic. This can be fixed by removing the top most waiter from the list in this case. This allows task B to grab the next top waiter (if any) in the next iteration and make progress. Remove the top most waiter if futex_requeue_pi_prepare() fails. Let the waiter conditionally remove itself from the list in handle_early_requeue_pi_wakeup().
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.15 and later | 5.15.216, 6.1.175, 6.6.141, 6.12.91, 6.18.33, 7.0.10, 7.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.15 and later Fixed in 5.15.216, 6.1.175, 6.6.141, 6.12.91, 6.18.33, 7.0.10, 7.1 Patch available CNA
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.15.216, 6.1.175, 6.6.141, 6.12.91, 6.18.33, 7.0.10, 7.1
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2026:51035 Released 2026-08-06 · Red Hat rating Moderatekernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8 +12
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) kernel-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-core-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8 +28
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8, libperf-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-64k-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-64k-core-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8 +21
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-687.36.1.el9_8 +9
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:51035 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:51035 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:51035 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:51035 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:51035 |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-52977
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-f389-gw66-p7gf
- 2026-11-06 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Patch 6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4e0ed44e51727d56244a822ab941efe507c47966
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3f95b1ba242e37093305812df7fdbe7288a43ac
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0aacb6d18f76552e3e0ee25d9f40d21b3486f4cf
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/69a7cfc66405aeaa2483147653d031b3592ffc9c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0304d60abb9dcc02bc7fe6d1850f4ca206e8f1a0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bc7304f3ae20972d11db6e0b1b541c63feda5f05
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Sources
- CVE-2026-52977 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-52977 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-f389-gw66-p7gf · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-52977 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences