Linux Kernel up to 6.18.50/7.2.4/7.3-rc1 BPF __pcpu_freelist_push infinite loop

CVSS Meta Temp Score CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.	Current Exploit Price (≈) Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.	CTI Interest Score Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
4.7	$0-$5k	0.45

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.50/7.2.4/7.3-rc1. It has been declared as problematic. The affected element is the function __pcpu_freelist_push of the component BPF. Executing a manipulation can lead to infinite loop. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-89991. The attack can be executed remotely. There is not any exploit available. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.18.50/7.2.4/7.3-rc1 and classified as problematic. This vulnerability affects the function __pcpu_freelist_push of the component BPF. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a infinite loop vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-835. The product contains an iteration or loop with an exit condition that cannot be reached, i.e., an infinite loop. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Fix infinite loop in pcpu_freelist push with one possible CPU __pcpu_freelist_push() can loop forever when only one CPU is possible and an NMI re-enters pcpu_freelist_push() while the interrupted context holds that CPU's freelist lock. After the current-CPU fast path fails, the fallback loop walks cpu_possible_mask while skipping the current CPU. With CONFIG_SMP=n, or when an SMP kernel is limited to one possible CPU with nr_cpus=1 or possible_cpus=1, there are no other possible CPUs to examine. The loop therefore makes no lock acquisition attempt and can never make progress. The following stack was observed on a UP system: NMI context: pcpu_freelist_push free_htab_elem htab_map_delete_elem [perf-event BPF program] __perf_event_overflow perf_event_nmi_handler exc_nmi Interrupted context: __pcpu_freelist_push pcpu_freelist_push free_htab_elem htab_map_delete_elem [raw_tp/sys_enter BPF program] __bpf_trace_sys_enter do_syscall_64 raw_res_spin_lock() detects the same-CPU recursive acquisition and returns -EDEADLK, but the subsequent fallback loop has no candidate head on a system with one possible CPU. Restore the extra fallback head that existed before the rqspinlock conversion. Keep the current-CPU fast path, then try the other possible CPUs and finally the extra head. The additional head lets a push, which cannot fail without losing a preallocated element, make progress when the only per-CPU head is held by the interrupted context. Also check the extra head from the pop path so that nodes placed there can be reused.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-89991 since 09/11/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be initiated remotely. The exploitation needs additional levels of successful authentication. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1499.

Upgrading to version 6.18.51, 7.2.5 or 7.3-rc2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch a24a146ae2cb5d9faeea96d10010fcb6579abe1f/a5b5e62baceff9e252c6535cf42a027d04f226cf/efebf6496685c93150df5bb0794363ae70c5f58a is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 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
• 6.18.50
• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2
• 7.2.3
• 7.2.4
• 7.3-rc1

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 4.9
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.7

VulDB Base Score: 4.9
VulDB Temp Score: 4.7
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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

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

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

Exploitinginfo

Class: Infinite loop
CWE: CWE-835 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

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

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.18.51/7.2.5/7.3-rc2
Patch: a24a146ae2cb5d9faeea96d10010fcb6579abe1f/a5b5e62baceff9e252c6535cf42a027d04f226cf/efebf6496685c93150df5bb0794363ae70c5f58a

Timelineinfo

09/11/2026 CVE reserved
09/16/2026 +5 days Advisory disclosed
09/16/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
09/16/2026 +0 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-89991 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-89991
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-405796

Entryinfo

Created: 09/16/2026 15:00
Changes: 09/16/2026 15:00 (59)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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