Histogram registration corrupts synth_event refcount in Linux kernel
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel from 4.17 is affected until the fixed versions named in the solution. Histogram registration and removal in tracing match synthetic events by basename only, so a histogram on a non-synthetic event with the same name changes the synthetic event's reference count. A local user with low privileges can cause the synthetic event to be freed while a histogram action still uses it, with high impact to confidentiality, integrity and availability.
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: tracing/histograms: Verify event_call identity when updating synth_event refcount In event_hist_trigger_parse() and hist_unreg_all(), the histogram registration and unregistration paths look up find_synth_event() using trace_event_name(file->event_call) and adjust se->ref if a match is found. Because find_synth_event() only compares the event basename, registering or removing a histogram on a non-synthetic trace event whose basename matches a synthetic event erroneously modifies the synthetic event's reference count. If a histogram is registered on the non-synthetic event before the synthetic event is created and removed afterwards, se->ref is decremented without a matching increment, allowing the synthetic event to be freed while an active histogram action still holds a pointer to it. Introduce find_synth_event_call() to verify that &se->call matches file->event_call before adjusting se->ref.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Fixed versions are 6.1.191, 6.6.161, 6.12.115, 6.18.60, 7.2.14, 7.3.1 and 7.4-rc1. Red Hat rates this Important and lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 as affected without a fix, with the plan none_available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.191, 6.6.161, 6.12.115, 6.18.60, 7.2.14, 7.3.1, 7.4-rc1
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. 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 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-11-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-99233
- 2026-11-02 Alias added: GHSA-hqr3-rh3c-f6xh
- 2026-11-03 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-03 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-11-03 Fix available: Linux/Linux@3403d9bb27ebc3572bd048620746b4414e073bf9, Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-11-03 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-11-04 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
References
Other 7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/381f543ed35c434d5b707369aa5dcd69ecf440af
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4472579bd1c83708b6fe623c870cdf728e947205
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/23b4106e8b35823acc79e206c7745f55b9cfd78b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/06e816bed499fe47f39f12044382cc5d064485fb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5597bb8db6855fcb97a67196d227fea359bcd81c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cf4e31d5da80fae4c9cdbe7af55b7c3ad213f0e4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3403d9bb27ebc3572bd048620746b4414e073bf9
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Sources
- CVE-2026-99233 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-99233 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-hqr3-rh3c-f6xh · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-99233 · 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