audit: Fix data races of skb_queue_len() readers on audit_queue
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · Low · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 3 without a fix
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: audit: Fix data races of skb_queue_len() readers on audit_queue Multiple readers access audit_queue.qlen via skb_queue_len() without holding the queue lock or using READ_ONCE(), while kauditd writes to this field via the skb_dequeue() → __skb_unlink() path with WRITE_ONCE() protected by a spinlock. This constitutes data races. All affected skb_queue_len(&audit_queue) call sites: - kauditd_thread() wait_event_freezable() condition - audit_receive_msg() AUDIT_GET handler (s.backlog assignment) - audit_receive() backlog check - audit_log_start() backlog check and pr_warn() KCSAN reports the following conflicting access pattern (one example): ================================================================== BUG: KCSAN: data-race in audit_log_start / skb_dequeue write (marked) to 0xffffffff8512ee20 of 4 bytes by task 661 on cpu 57: skb_dequeue+0x70/0xf0 kauditd_send_queue+0x71/0x220 kauditd_thread+0x1cb/0x430 kthread+0x1c2/0x210 ret_from_fork+0x162/0x1a0 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 read to 0xffffffff8512ee20 of 4 bytes by task 36586 on cpu 1: audit_log_start+0x2a0/0x6b0 audit_core_dumps+0x64/0xa0 do_coredump+0x14b/0x1260 get_signal+0xeb2/0xf70 arch_do_signal_or_restart+0x41/0x170 exit_to_user_mode_loop+0xa2/0x1c0 do_syscall_64+0x1a3/0x1c0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0xe0 value changed: 0x00000001 -> 0x00000000 ================================================================== Resolve the race by switching to lockless helper skb_queue_len_lockless(), which internally uses READ_ONCE() and properly pairs with the WRITE_ONCE() write accesses already present on the writer side. [PM: line length tweak]
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- 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 | 4.10 and later | 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.12.96, 6.18.39, 7.1.4, 7.2 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.10 and later Fixed in 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 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:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.10 to before 5.10.261; 5.11 to before 5.15.212; 5.16 to before 6.1.178; 6.2 to before 6.6.145; 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 4.10 to before 5.10.261; 5.11 to before 5.15.212; 5.16 to before 6.1.178; 6.2 to before 6.6.145; 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 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.12.96, 6.18.39, 7.1.4, 7.2
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 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-64435
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-h4f8-j958-689c
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-16 Priority changed: LOW → MEDIUM
- 2026-10-20 Weakness changed · CISA ADP
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/69f98fff30bdaa72b0cb0e7e078ab6456a0a59b0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b35597bdae1a5d8395da4b9baa993b9b71f74d68
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e575dabb805252e3113fdc3f56f6ecacfde422d0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7ff42312ccde549f8c698723822c7db35107a39b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a3d85dec60bb0622360fc176b2a51abdbe2ff0ad
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fe997a84a385f840b593ead92e575503a5046cee
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c5186201fa7030289cc4fe23fae87a3fcb566856
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c9a71daaecb2fb1d8c704545cc0b1c920b9bf5d7
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Sources
- CVE-2026-64435 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-64435 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-h4f8-j958-689c · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-64435 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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