io_uring/zcrx: fix user_ref race between scrub and refill paths
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-43121 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | Linux |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-05-06 12:16:28 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-05-12 21:17:31 UTC |
| 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] |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 4.7 MEDIUM from [email protected]
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Problem Types: CWE-362
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
LocalAttack Complexity
HighPrivileges Required
LowUser Interaction
NoneScope
UnchangedConfidentiality
NoneIntegrity
NoneAvailability
HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
NVD Known Affected Configurations (CPE 2.3)
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version | Update | Edition | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Linux | Linux Kernel | All | All | All | All |
Vendor Declared Affected Products
| Source | Vendor | Product | Version | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | Linux | Linux | affected 34a3e60821ab9f335a58d43a88cccdbefdebdec3 a94f096e28bfc7975163a6b80f1c8f323efe317a git | Not specified |
| CNA | Linux | Linux | affected 34a3e60821ab9f335a58d43a88cccdbefdebdec3 485dc691257b96e6d3bdc25b0eff2daadcc5c46c git | Not specified |
| CNA | Linux | Linux | affected 34a3e60821ab9f335a58d43a88cccdbefdebdec3 003049b1c4fb8aabb93febb7d1e49004f6ad653b git | Not specified |
| CNA | Linux | Linux | affected 6.15 | Not specified |
| CNA | Linux | Linux | unaffected 6.15 semver | Not specified |
| CNA | Linux | Linux | unaffected 6.18.16 6.18.* semver | Not specified |
| CNA | Linux | Linux | unaffected 6.19.6 6.19.* semver | Not specified |
| CNA | Linux | Linux | unaffected 7.0 * original_commit_for_fix | Not specified |
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| git.kernel.org/stable/c/003049b1c4fb8aabb93febb7d1e49004f6ad653b | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 | git.kernel.org | Patch |
| git.kernel.org/stable/c/a94f096e28bfc7975163a6b80f1c8f323efe317a | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 | git.kernel.org | Patch |
| git.kernel.org/stable/c/485dc691257b96e6d3bdc25b0eff2daadcc5c46c | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 | git.kernel.org | Patch |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
No vendor comments have been submitted for this CVE.
There are currently no legacy QID mappings associated with this CVE.