mm: shrinker: fix shrinker_info teardown race with expansion
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: shrinker: fix shrinker_info teardown race with expansion expand_shrinker_info() iterates all visible memcgs under shrinker_mutex, including memcgs that have not finished ->css_online() yet. Once pn->shrinker_info has been published, teardown must stay serialized with expand_shrinker_info() until that memcg is either fully online or no longer visible to iteration. Today alloc_shrinker_info() breaks that rule by dropping shrinker_mutex before freeing a partially initialized shrinker_info array, which may cause the following race: CPU0 CPU1 ==== ==== css_create --> list_add_tail_rcu(&css->sibling, &parent_css->children); online_css --> mem_cgroup_css_online --> alloc_shrinker_info --> alloc node0 info rcu_assign_pointer(C->node0->shrinker_info, old0) alloc node1 info -> FAIL -> goto err mutex_unlock(shrinker_mutex) shrinker_alloc() --> shrinker_memcg_alloc --> mutex_lock(shrinker_mutex) expand_shrinker_info --> mem_cgroup_iter see the memcg expand_one_shrinker_info --> old0 = C->node0->shrinker_info memcpy(new->unit, old0->unit, ...); free_shrinker_info --> kvfree(old0); /* double free !! */ kvfree_rcu(old0, rcu); The same problem exists later in mem_cgroup_css_online(). If alloc_shrinker_info() succeeds but a subsequent objcg allocation fails, the free_objcg -> free_shrinker_info() unwind path tears down the already published pn->shrinker_info arrays without shrinker_mutex. The expand_one_shrinker_info() can race with that teardown in the same way, leading to use-after-free or double-free of the old shrinker_info. Fix this by serializing shrinker_info teardown with shrinker_mutex, and by keeping alloc_shrinker_info() error cleanup inside the locked section.
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 | 6.7 and later | 6.12.96, 6.18.39, 7.1.4, 7.2 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.7 and later Fixed in 6.12.96, 6.18.39, 7.1.4, 7.2 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 3
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.7 to before 6.12.96; 6.13 to before 6.18.39; 6.19 to before 7.1.4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.2:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.2 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.2:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.2 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.7 to before 6.12.96; 6.13 to before 6.18.39; 6.19 to before 7.1.4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.2:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.2 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.2:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.2 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.96, 6.18.39, 7.1.4, 7.2
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2026:61887 Released 2026-09-01 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10) kernel-64k-debug-devel-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2, kernel-64k-devel-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2 +12
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 10) kernel-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2, kernel-64k-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2, kernel-64k-core-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2 +29
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10) kernel-tools-libs-devel-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2, libperf-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 10) kernel-rt-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2, kernel-rt-64k-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2, kernel-rt-64k-core-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2 +21
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 10) kernel-rt-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2, kernel-rt-core-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2, kernel-rt-debug-6.12.0-211.50.1.el10_2 +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 AppStream (v. 10) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:61887 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 10) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:61887 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:61887 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 10) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:61887 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 10) | Fixed | RHSA-2026:61887 |
Not affected: 4 products
- 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-2026-64418
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-q5wg-g4g8-xfhc
- 2026-10-27 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
References
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
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- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
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- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2026-64418 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-64418 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-q5wg-g4g8-xfhc · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-64418 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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