Linux Kernel up to 6.12.108/6.18.49/7.2.3 s390/cpum_cf cpumf_pmu_add null pointer dereference

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4.2	$0-$5k	0.43+

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.108/6.18.49/7.2.3. It has been rated as problematic. This affects the function cpumf_pmu_add of the component s390/cpum_cf. This manipulation causes null pointer dereference. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2026-89460. The attack can only be executed locally. There is no exploit available. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.108/6.18.49/7.2.3 and classified as problematic. Affected by this vulnerability is the function cpumf_pmu_add of the component s390/cpum_cf. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: s390/cpum_cf: Handle CPU hotplug via prepare/dead callbacks The command 'perf stat -e cycles -- <command>' crashes the kernel when CPUs are hotplug added during that run. Root cause is the allocation of struct cpu_cf_events at first event initialization. The allocation is dynamic and the first event that has task context creates such a structure for each online CPU. This is not sufficient. CPUs may be offline during event creation and can be set online during the perf run time. For example commands # echo 0 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/online # perf stat -e cycles -i -- stress-ng -t10s --matrix X # sleep 1 # echo 1 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/online create an event for CPUs 0,2-X. Since the events are created with task-context, the scheduler will eventually schedule the program on CPU1. This CPU has not created and initialized any per CPU event infrastructure as that CPU was not online at the time of the perf invocation. Thus when the scheduler runs stress-ng on CPU1, the function cpumf_pmu_add() refers to a NULL pointer: struct cpu_cf_events *cpuhw = this_cpu_cfhw(); This function call is invoked after the task stress-ng has been made runnable on CPU1. And this_cpu_cfhw() returns NULL. The result is a panic: Unable to handle kernel pointer dereference in virtual kernel address space Failing address: 0000000000000000 TEID: 0000000000000483 .... Krnl PSW : 0404d00180000000 000003ef8291fd0c (cpumf_pmu_add+0x3c/0x80) .... Call Trace: [<000003ef8291fd0c>] cpumf_pmu_add+0x3c/0x80 [<000003ef82bb5e3e>] event_sched_in+0xae/0x190 [<000003ef82bb60d6>] merge_sched_in+0x1b6/0x390 [<000003ef82bb65b8>] visit_groups_merge.constprop.0.isra.0+0x308/0x5b0 [<000003ef82bb689a>] pmu_groups_sched_in+0x3a/0x50 [<000003ef82bb6a30>] ctx_sched_in+0x180/0x260 [<000003ef82bb780c>] perf_event_context_sched_in+0x11c/0x2d0 [<000003ef82bb79ee>] __perf_event_task_sched_in+0x2e/0xc0 [<000003ef82994834>] finish_task_switch.isra.0+0x1a4/0x250 .... Last Breaking-Event-Address: [<000003ef8291f1d8>] this_cpu_cfhw+0x38/0x40 The issue arises only in per-task context when the CPUMF facility is used and the scheduler picks a random CPU for such a process to run on. The scheduler enables the CPUMF infrastructure via PMU callback functions pmu::add() and pmu::del(). Introduce a CPU hotplug prepare/dead callback pair which creates and removes the per CPU counter data while the CPU is offline. Count the users which track every CPU (cpu == -1), that is perf_event_open() events with task context and /dev/hwctr device sessions, in the new counter cpu_cf_root::tskcnt, protected by pmc_reserve_mutex. This ensures the infrastructure is available when new CPU is selected to run the per-task context process. In cpum_cf_free_root() and cpum_cf_free_cpu() ensure the reference pointer to data structures is set to NULL before the data is freed to prevent interrupt handlers to access stale data. [[email protected]: change commit message]

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2026-89460 since 09/11/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. Attacking locally is a requirement. Additional levels of successful authentication are needed for exploitation. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

Upgrading to version 6.12.109, 6.18.50, 7.2.4 or 7.3-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 777d040c2f91d8d929b4a32333dfe4102b27caea/dcce7a06ea690d5cf46a705a9b74cf0398ac091f/71d46de9153e067c63a15f3b00e6364e1c0230f8/337bd95507a16063687cfc286ea90de5cca48c37 is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.12.108
• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1
• 6.18.2
• 6.18.3
• 6.18.4
• 6.18.5
• 6.18.6
• 6.18.7
• 6.18.8
• 6.18.9
• 6.18.10
• 6.18.11
• 6.18.12
• 6.18.13
• 6.18.14
• 6.18.15
• 6.18.16
• 6.18.17
• 6.18.18
• 6.18.19
• 6.18.20
• 6.18.21
• 6.18.22
• 6.18.23
• 6.18.24
• 6.18.25
• 6.18.26
• 6.18.27
• 6.18.28
• 6.18.29
• 6.18.30
• 6.18.31
• 6.18.32
• 6.18.33
• 6.18.34
• 6.18.35
• 6.18.36
• 6.18.37
• 6.18.38
• 6.18.39
• 6.18.40
• 6.18.41
• 6.18.42
• 6.18.43
• 6.18.44
• 6.18.45
• 6.18.46
• 6.18.47
• 6.18.48
• 6.18.49
• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2
• 7.2.3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
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CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
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CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 4.4
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.2

VulDB Base Score: 4.4
VulDB Temp Score: 4.2
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
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Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

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

Exploitinginfo

Class: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

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

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Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.12.109/6.18.50/7.2.4/7.3-rc1
Patch: 777d040c2f91d8d929b4a32333dfe4102b27caea/dcce7a06ea690d5cf46a705a9b74cf0398ac091f/71d46de9153e067c63a15f3b00e6364e1c0230f8/337bd95507a16063687cfc286ea90de5cca48c37

Timelineinfo

09/11/2026 Advisory disclosed
09/11/2026 +0 days CVE reserved
09/11/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
09/11/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-89460 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-89460
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-402619

Entryinfo

Created: 09/11/2026 23:03
Changes: 09/11/2026 23:03 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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