Linux kernel tracing keeps histogram triggers after failed command
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The Linux kernel from 4.17 before the fixed releases is affected, because the tracing subsystem does not unregister field variable histograms when a histogram trigger command fails after creating them. The leftover trigger stays active and keeps counting events even though its tracking entry has been freed.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-04
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Unregister field variable histograms when the command fails An action that names a field on another event needs that field as a variable, so create_field_var_hist() registers a second hist trigger on that event to provide it, and records it in target_hist_data->field_var_hists[]. If a later part of the same command fails, create_actions() returns an error and event_hist_trigger_parse() jumps to out_free. The write fails with -EINVAL and sched_switch gets no trigger, but: # echo 'hist:keys=pid:ts0=common_timestamp.usecs' >> \ events/sched/sched_waking/trigger # echo 'my_synth u64 lat; int a; int b' >> synthetic_events # echo 'hist:keys=next_pid:wakeup_lat=common_timestamp.usecs-$ts0:\ onmatch(sched.sched_waking).my_synth($wakeup_lat,prio,nosuchfld)'\ >> events/sched/sched_switch/trigger # cat events/sched/sched_waking/trigger hist:keys=pid:vals=hitcount:ts0=common_timestamp.usecs:sort=hitcount:size=2048:clock=global [active] hist:keys=pid:vals=hitcount:synthetic_prio=prio:sort=hitcount:size=2048 [active] The second histogram is the one created for 'prio'. It is still active and still counting. out_free reaches destroy_field_var_hists(), which frees the field_var_hists[] entries, but never unregister_field_var_hists(), which is what removes the triggers and runs only from event_hist_trigger_free(). The entry is freed and the trigger is left with nothing tracking it. Unregister the field variable histograms in out_free as well, and record each one as soon as its trigger is registered rather than after the lookup that follows it, so no exit can leave a registered trigger untracked. The entry then belongs to field_var_hists[] and is released by destroy_field_var_hists(), so freeing it on that exit would be a double free.
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 | 4.17 and later | 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.161, 6.12.115, 6.18.60, 7.2.14, 7.3.1, 7.4-rc1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.17 and later Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.161, 6.12.115, 6.18.60, 7.2.14, 7.3.1, 7.4-rc1 Patch available CNA
Remediation
Update the Linux kernel to 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.161, 6.12.115, 6.18.60, 7.2.14, 7.3.1 or 7.4-rc1, depending on the branch in use. Red Hat lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9 and 10 and Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5 as affected, with no fix plan available.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-04
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 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: 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 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-11-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-99234
- 2026-11-02 Alias added: GHSA-593w-c428-4hpw
- 2026-11-03 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@91c14d6c13096091c56304120aaa26e479130b8b · CNA
- 2026-11-03 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-11-04 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-04 CVSS score added · Red Hat
References
Other 9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f21351d1c4cdcc6a68f03636a407c2af1a5e1e10
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dba0f492703956801149cc70b39d2650a37995c3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a3d7ffd2409700748a495b645948fef48199206e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/aae0ccd7326eef78dcdefffef3d1253e6f0615ca
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8482ec5b65f606d5bbcec518e0afc69ad65ca414
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/431959fc76456cbba539279fe8967aa9391e6f23
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5afb9317e2eeb1c7021a82995ce244fda5a4bd4f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d0090baf02dd08f6e909f36f0ad54a4e80f5e79b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/91c14d6c13096091c56304120aaa26e479130b8b
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Sources
- CVE-2026-99234 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-99234 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-593w-c428-4hpw · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-99234 · 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