CVE-2026-99235
tracing: Save the event file instead of the compatible histogram
What happened?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
tracing: Save the event file instead of the compatible histogram
create_field_var_hist() creates a histogram on the matched event to supply a field variable, and records it on the target so it can be torn down later:
hist_data = find_compatible_hist(target_hist_data, file); ... /* Save the compatible histogram information */ var_hist->hist_data = hist_data;
hist_data is not the histogram it creates. It is one that was already there, whose keys the new one copies. The saved pointer has a single user, unregister_field_var_hists(), which runs when the target is removed:
file = hist_data->field_var_hists[i]->hist_data->event_file;
find_compatible_hist() matches on keys alone, so it can pick one with no variables of its own. check_var_refs() then returns false and the user can remove it while the target still points at it:
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in event_hist_trigger_free+0x2b2/0x320 Read of size 8 at addr ffff8880093b90e0 by task init/1
Freed by task 1: kfree+0x154/0x420 event_hist_trigger_free+0x1d5/0x320 event_hist_trigger_parse+0x35f3/0x69e0 trigger_process_regex+0x1a6/0x250
Save the event file instead. It is all the dereference ever wanted, and it does not go away when the user removes a trigger.
Affected software and versions
| Software | Version information | Fixed version |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | affected: 02205a6752f223779a1b0e9e8ffacbea6e717851 to < a6165126b1a1b26342b55be6eb6ee23af8756aba; affected: 02205a6752f223779a1b0e9e8ffacbea6e717851 to < 173914501b97236d7ea7dc2af7f30feddd4e1436; affected: 02205a6752f223779a1b0e9e8ffacbea6e717851 to < ac815a379644b2ad5008a009a3516ada31b5dd82; affected: 02205a6752f223779a1b0e9e8ffacbea6e717851 to < 8b307d64a60548e4a74cb746f74d7ed4bd49965e; affected: 02205a6752f223779a1b0e9e8ffacbea6e717851 to < 7a111ba0d1b74c99bc8f096565dc71945f694254; affected: 02205a6752f223779a1b0e9e8ffacbea6e717851 to < 3609ada3c12cecfb0ae5ee82ef4f86c5f18a2dea; affected: 02205a6752f223779a1b0e9e8ffacbea6e717851 to < 9631dbccd3c649b567a5aafffea6b00634183997; affected: 02205a6752f223779a1b0e9e8ffacbea6e717851 to < 7cafc82e6153f05a221be678cd649d02e06ba909; affected: 02205a6752f223779a1b0e9e8ffacbea6e717851 to < d5c42664fc094899af9aae5300b27fe8fdb658ef | See vendor advisory |
| LinuxLinux | affected: 4.17; unaffected: 0 to < 4.17; unaffected: 5.10.273 to ≤ 5.10.*; unaffected: 5.15.224 to ≤ 5.15.*; unaffected: 6.1.191 to ≤ 6.1.*; unaffected: 6.6.161 to ≤ 6.6.*; unaffected: 6.12.115 to ≤ 6.12.*; unaffected: 6.18.60 to ≤ 6.18.*; unaffected: 7.2.14 to ≤ 7.2.*; unaffected: 7.3.1 to ≤ 7.3.*; unaffected: 7.4-rc1 to ≤ * | See vendor advisory |
Version information comes from the source record and can include unaffected products and exceptions. Distribution packages may contain backported fixes: an older upstream version alone does not prove a server is affected.
Is it being exploited?
This CVE was not listed in the CISA catalogue at our last retrieval. This does not establish that exploitation is absent.
How to respond
- Confirm the product, installed package version, and any configuration requirements in the vendor advisory.
- Follow the vendor’s remediation or workaround guidance in the references below. Structured fixed-version data is unavailable here; the publisher’s description may include a fix or workaround.
- Restart affected services if required, then verify the running version. Known exploitation may warrant investigation as well as patching.
Sources and remediation references
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-99235
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a6165126b1a1b26342b55be6eb6ee23af8756aba
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/173914501b97236d7ea7dc2af7f30feddd4e1436
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac815a379644b2ad5008a009a3516ada31b5dd82
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b307d64a60548e4a74cb746f74d7ed4bd49965e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7a111ba0d1b74c99bc8f096565dc71945f694254
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3609ada3c12cecfb0ae5ee82ef4f86c5f18a2dea
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9631dbccd3c649b567a5aafffea6b00634183997
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7cafc82e6153f05a221be678cd649d02e06ba909
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d5c42664fc094899af9aae5300b27fe8fdb658ef