Linux Kernel up to 7.3-rc1 Futex futex_requeue_pi_complete requeue_state/task use after free

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9.5	$5k-$25k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as very critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 7.3-rc1. Affected is the function futex_requeue_pi_complete of the component Futex. Such manipulation of the argument requeue_state/task leads to use after free. This vulnerability is referenced as CVE-2026-90003. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. No exploit is available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 7.3-rc1. It has been rated as very critical. Affected by this issue is the function futex_requeue_pi_complete of the component Futex. The manipulation of the argument requeue_state/task with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: futex: Prevent rcuwait use-after-free during requeue PI On PREEMPT_RT, FUTEX_CMP_REQUEUE_PI can trigger a KASAN report (slab-out-of-bounds) in futex_requeue_pi_complete() invocation of rcuwait_wake_up(). The futex_q used by futex_wait_requeue_pi() is allocated on the waiter's stack. An early wakeup can race with a PI requeue as follows: waiter requeue task ------ ------------ futex_wait_requeue_pi() futex_do_wait() schedule() futex_requeue futex_proxy_trylock_atomic() futex_requeue_pi_prepare() Q_REQUEUE_PI_NONE -> Q_REQUEUE_PI_IN_PROGRESS * timeout/ signal wakes waiter * futex_requeue_pi_wakeup_sync() Q_REQUEUE_PI_IN_PROGRESS -> Q_REQUEUE_PI_WAIT requeue_pi_wake_futex futex_requeue_pi_complete() cmpxchg Q_REQUEUE_PI_WAIT -> Q_REQUEUE_PI_LOCKED rcuwait_wait_event() if (atomic_read(&q->requeue_state) != Q_REQUEUE_PI_WAIT) break /* no schedule() */ /* q.pi_state->owner == current */ futex_private_hash_put() /* return from syscall */ rcuwait_wake_up(&q->requeue_wait) /* q is gone */ futex_requeue_pi_complete() publishes Q_REQUEUE_PI_LOCKED before calling rcuwait_wake_up(). The waiter observes this state in rcuwait_wait_event() before invoking schedule() in rcuwait_wait_event(). Here, the waiter is free leave the syscall before requeue task can complete the wake. To address this race skip rcuwait_wake_up() in the Q_REQUEUE_PI_LOCKED case. This state is only published by requeue_pi_wake_futex(), which saves q->task before futex_requeue_pi_complete() and wakes the waiter via wake_up_state(). This wake is intended to wake the waiter from its futex_do_wait() sleep. If the waiter is still sleeping there, it can not get into the Q_REQUEUE_PI_WAIT state (and require this removed wake). Should the waiter be woken up from futex_do_wait() by other means (as in this example) and sleep in futex_requeue_pi_wakeup_sync() then the wake_up_state() from requeue_pi_wake_futex() will wake it, too. Should the waiter task terminate before wake_up_state() had a chance to wake the task then the task pointer does not become invalid because the futex_hash_bucket::lock is held and the task pointer is RCU protected. [bigeasy: Updated comment and commit message]

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2026-90003 since 09/11/2026. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be launched remotely. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $5k-$25k (estimation calculated on 09/16/2026).

Upgrading to version 6.1.188, 6.6.157, 6.12.110, 6.18.51, 7.2.5 or 7.3-rc2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 220ee9e04ca3b7f014c000264aa6c884f036c86e/81aadbd09bf1dcd3238212f336ba699503557ae8/244f301759fd34b1dd0b4192ce44f8ef224e027d/7d1559126d86be6e4f6a85663dfbfe85caa47e37/e4a4ccfa470f910b747b3ee8d18670ed8ac8a236/a3b8d46fe401cba3a5c46dea610e6eb3dc15370e 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

• 6.1.187
• 6.6.156
• 6.12.109
• 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: 9.9
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 9.5

VulDB Base Score: 9.9
VulDB Temp Score: 9.5
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: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
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 6.1.188/6.6.157/6.12.110/6.18.51/7.2.5/7.3-rc2
Patch: 220ee9e04ca3b7f014c000264aa6c884f036c86e/81aadbd09bf1dcd3238212f336ba699503557ae8/244f301759fd34b1dd0b4192ce44f8ef224e027d/7d1559126d86be6e4f6a85663dfbfe85caa47e37/e4a4ccfa470f910b747b3ee8d18670ed8ac8a236/a3b8d46fe401cba3a5c46dea610e6eb3dc15370e

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-2026-90003 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-90003
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-405800

Entryinfo

Created: 09/16/2026 15:02
Changes: 09/16/2026 15:02 (60)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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