Use-after-free race in Linux kernel io_uring waitid handling
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.
Summary
Linux kernel versions from 6.12.113 before 6.12.115, from 6.18.52 before 6.18.60, and from 6.19 are affected by a race in the io_uring waitid code. The wake-up handler clears its wait queue head before it owns the request, so another path can complete and free the request while the handler still uses it. A local user with low privileges can trigger this use-after-free, which can corrupt kernel memory.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: io_uring/waitid: own the request before clearing ->head io_waitid_remove_wq() only takes the wait queue lock if ->head is set. io_waitid_wait() clears ->head first thing, before it tries to become the owner of the request by bumping ->refs. If somebody else owns the request at that point, nothing keeps it from completing the request while the wake up handler is still going to touch it: CPU0 (io_waitid_wait) CPU1 (io_waitid, holds a ref) list_del_init(&wait->entry) smp_store_release(&iw->head, NULL) __do_wait() finds another child io_waitid_remove_wq() // ->head == NULL, no locking io_waitid_finish(), IOU_COMPLETE // request freed and reused atomic_fetch_inc(&iw->refs) The same goes for __io_waitid_cancel() if it claims the request in that window. ->refs is part of the per opcode data of the request, so this increments whatever the next user of the request keeps there. If that happens to be zero, the handler concludes that it owns the request, and queues io_waitid_cb() for it. With the window held open by a delay, and the request reused for a receive that is waiting for data: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in __wake_up_common+0x1ca/0x1f0 __wake_up_sync_key+0x36/0x50 sock_def_readable+0xf1/0x420 unix_stream_sendmsg+0x60b/0x1110 Allocated by task 87: io_arm_apoll+0x1ed/0x940 Freed by task 87: __io_submit_flush_completions+0x118d/0x1a10 tctx_task_work_run+0x327/0x950 Only clear ->head once the handler owns the request. If it doesn't, the owner finds ->head set and has to wait for the lock, which is held by the caller of the handler. Deleting the already deleted entry again is harmless.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Fixed Linux kernel versions are 6.12.115, 6.18.60, 7.2.14, 7.3.2 and 7.4-rc1.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.115, 6.18.60
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.115, 6.18.60, 7.2.14, 7.3.2, 7.4-rc1
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 7 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
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5
Timeline
- 2026-11-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-99231
- 2026-11-02 Alias added: GHSA-r5jr-3m3c-4rp2
- 2026-11-03 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-03 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-11-03 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@c254eec4364b9f4b4cbdce43be3fb4df5a651a70 · CNA
- 2026-11-03 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-11-04 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
- 2026-11-06 Fix available: Linux/Linux@6e11ce129b34fb9a43b2bbe838df49ea52878d5c, Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-11-06 1 new reference · CNA
References
Other 5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bf01da1a9cca4a54e5c30b8344e52c26afb87be7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8381a912c65b8de16e8a848225c7c5a56b6ea834
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c10ad2813e15186fb51b37a4d17fafddc99e89a5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e11ce129b34fb9a43b2bbe838df49ea52878d5c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c254eec4364b9f4b4cbdce43be3fb4df5a651a70
More Linux vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2021-02452 Incorrect authorization in Ubuntu linux kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- 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
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- 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
Sources
- CVE-2026-99231 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-99231 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-r5jr-3m3c-4rp2 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-99231 · 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