Linux Kernel up to 7.1.2 RCU kernel/irq_work.c stop_this_cpu use after free

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4.0$0-$5k2.35

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as problematic has been detected in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.177/6.6.144/6.12.94/6.18.37/7.1.2. The affected element is the function stop_this_cpu of the file kernel/irq_work.c of the component RCU. This manipulation causes use after free. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2026-64250. The attack requires local access. There is no available exploit.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.177/6.6.144/6.12.94/6.18.37/7.1.2. It has been declared as problematic. Affected by this vulnerability is the function stop_this_cpu of the file kernel/irq_work.c of the component RCU. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: LoongArch: Report dying CPU to RCU in stop_this_cpu() This is a port of MIPS commit 9f3f3bdc6d9dac1 ("MIPS: smp: report dying CPU to RCU in stop_this_cpu()"). smp_send_stop() parks all secondary CPUs in stop_this_cpu(). And the function marks the CPU offline for the scheduler via set_cpu_online(false) but never informs RCU, so RCU keeps expecting a quiescent state from CPUs that are now spinning forever with interrupts disabled. As long as nothing waits for an RCU grace period after smp_send_stop() this is harmless, which is why it went unnoticed. However, since commit 91840be8f710370 ("irq_work: Fix use-after-free in irq_work_single() on PREEMPT_RT"), irq_work_sync() calls synchronize_rcu() on architectures without an irq_work self-IPI, i.e. where arch_irq_work_has_interrupt() returns false. Any irq_work_sync() issued in the reboot/shutdown/halt path after smp_send_stop() then blocks on a grace period that can never complete, hanging the reboot: WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 15 at kernel/irq_work.c:144 irq_work_queue_on ... rcu: INFO: rcu_sched detected stalls on CPUs/tasks: rcu: Offline CPU 1 blocking current GP. rcu: Offline CPU 2 blocking current GP. rcu: Offline CPU 3 blocking current GP. This issue needs some hacks to reproduce, and it was not noticed on LoongArch because arch_irq_work_has_interrupt() usually returns true. Call rcutree_report_cpu_dead() once interrupts are disabled, mirroring the generic CPU-hotplug offline path, so RCU stops waiting on the parked CPUs and grace periods can still complete. LoongArch shuts down all CPUs here without going through the CPU-hotplug mechanism, so this report is not otherwise issued.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-64250 since 07/19/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. An attack has to be approached locally. Additional levels of successful authentication are necessary for exploitation. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

Upgrading to version 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.12.95, 6.18.38, 7.1.3 or 7.2-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 262dadc619e69ebeb97affd334cd1078a9704e98/1fa22de588a65880d6fe54c38c87fffe7d519f60/a0269e928728f970c782319fee53d92d4ea4e512/90e254f18b8c224460082329dd5c42fd30995c2f/0833b2b84c2fc1387f8165f0cbf6a02d67f647a5/f2539c56c74691e7a88af6372ba2b48c06ed2fe4 is able to eliminate this problem.

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Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 4.2
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.0

VulDB Base Score: 4.2
VulDB Temp Score: 4.0
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined
Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.1.178/6.6.145/6.12.95/6.18.38/7.1.3/7.2-rc1
Patch: 262dadc619e69ebeb97affd334cd1078a9704e98/1fa22de588a65880d6fe54c38c87fffe7d519f60/a0269e928728f970c782319fee53d92d4ea4e512/90e254f18b8c224460082329dd5c42fd30995c2f/0833b2b84c2fc1387f8165f0cbf6a02d67f647a5/f2539c56c74691e7a88af6372ba2b48c06ed2fe4

Timelineinfo

07/19/2026 CVE reserved
07/24/2026 +5 days Advisory disclosed
07/24/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
07/24/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-64250 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-64250
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-382993

Entryinfo

Created: 07/24/2026 19:31
Changes: 07/24/2026 19:31 (60)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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