CVE-2026-43121

4.7 MEDIUM
Published: May 06, 2026 Modified: May 12, 2026
View on NVD

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: io_uring/zcrx: fix user_ref race between scrub and refill paths The io_zcrx_put_niov_uref() function uses a non-atomic check-then-decrement pattern (atomic_read followed by separate atomic_dec) to manipulate user_refs. This is serialized against other callers by rq_lock, but io_zcrx_scrub() modifies the same counter with atomic_xchg() WITHOUT holding rq_lock. On SMP systems, the following race exists: CPU0 (refill, holds rq_lock) CPU1 (scrub, no rq_lock) put_niov_uref: atomic_read(uref) - 1 // window opens atomic_xchg(uref, 0) - 1 return_niov_freelist(niov) [PUSH #1] // window closes atomic_dec(uref) - wraps to -1 returns true return_niov(niov) return_niov_freelist(niov) [PUSH #2: DOUBLE-FREE] The same niov is pushed to the freelist twice, causing free_count to exceed nr_iovs. Subsequent freelist pushes then perform an out-of-bounds write (a u32 value) past the kvmalloc'd freelist array into the adjacent slab object. Fix this by replacing the non-atomic read-then-dec in io_zcrx_put_niov_uref() with an atomic_try_cmpxchg loop that atomically tests and decrements user_refs. This makes the operation safe against concurrent atomic_xchg from scrub without requiring scrub to acquire rq_lock. [pavel: removed a warning and a comment]

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CVSS v3.x Details

0.0 Low Medium High Critical 10.0
Vector String
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools

Patch Vendor Advisory Exploit Third Party Advisory
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/003049b1c4fb8aabb93febb7d1e49004f6ad653b
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/485dc691257b96e6d3bdc25b0eff2daadcc5c46c
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a94f096e28bfc7975163a6b80f1c8f323efe317a
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Patch

3 reference(s) from NVD

Quick Stats

CVSS v3 Score
4.7 / 10.0
EPSS (Exploit Probability)
0.1%
1th percentile
Exploitation Status
Not in CISA KEV

Weaknesses (CWE)

Affected Vendors

linux