Linux Kernel up to 7.2.12 sched/core sched_change_end race condition

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 7.2.12. This impacts the function sched_change_end of the component sched/core. Performing a manipulation results in race condition. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-99205. The attack needs to be approached locally. There is no available exploit. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 7.2.12. This affects the function sched_change_end of the component sched/core. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a race condition vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-362. The product contains a code sequence that can run concurrently with other code, and the code sequence requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence that is operating concurrently. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched/core: Call wakeup_preempt() for queued tasks during class change Paul reported recent RCU changes exposed a lost resched where CPU idles with a rcutorture thread waiting while being completely runnable. Dumping the rq state at the time of idling with runnable tasks showed the following: rq->next_class = &fair_sched_class rq->nr_running = 1 rq->cfs.h_nr_queued = 0 rq->rt.rt_nr_running = 1 Although the waiting task was an RT task, "rq->next_class" did not point to rt_sched_class and was stuck at the lower priority fair_sched_class. Inspecting sched_change_end() revealed the following race with __sched_setscheduler() for queued, but non-running tasks: CPU0 CPU1 ==== ==== __schedule() /* * rq->donor is a fair task that blocks. * rq->next_class = &fair_sched_class */ rq_lock(rq0) pick_next_task() /* nr_running = 0 */ pick_task_fair() sched_balance_newidle() raw_spin_rq_unlock(rq0) rq_lock(rq0) activate_task(rq0, p) /* p is a fair task */ rq0->nr_running++; rq0->cfs.h_nr_queued++; wakeup_preempt(rq, p) rq->next_class = &fair_sched_class resched_curr() rq_unlock(rq0) __sched_setscheduler(p) /* p is moved to SCHED_RR */ task_rq_lock(p) sched_change_begin() rq0->cfs.h_nr_queued--; rq0->rt.rt_nr_running++; sched_change_end() /* * p->on_rq = 1 (ctx->queued) * but p is not rq->donor * (!ctx->running) hence * resched_curr() is and * rq->next_class upgrade is * skipped. */ task_rq_unlock() raw_spin_rq_lock(rq0) /* * rq->nr_running = 1 * rq->cfs.h_nr_queued = 0 * rq->rt.rt_nr_running = 1 * rq->next_class = &fair_sched_class */ if (rq->cfs.h_nr_queued && ...) /* Above is false */ if (rq_modified_above(this_rq, &fair_sched_class)) /* Also false since rq->next_class is still fair */ /* * sched_balance_newidle() is considered to * have failed to pull any fair tasks and no * other wakeups were detected. */ return NULL; /* pick_task_fair() */ pick_task_idle() return rq->idle; next = rq->idle; /* Preemption indicators are lost */ clear_tsk_need_resched(prev); clear_preempt_need_resched(); rq->curr = rq->idle; !!! rq->idle switches in with rq->running == 1 but !need_resched() !!! In simple words, enqueue, followed by a class change of the newly queued task goes unnoticed in rq->next_class indicator and sched_balance_newidle() sees no fair task, nor any higher priority task enqueued. The above sequence will lead to CPU idling with a runnable task on the CPU. Call wakeup_preempt() for ctx->queued cases in sched_change_end() to re-evaluate rq->next_class after class change (ENQUEUE_CLASS) and set the NEED_RESCHED indicator accordingly. Newidle balance will correctly see an enqueue of a higher priority t ---truncated---

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2026-99205 since 09/25/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. An attack has to be approached locally. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

Upgrading to version 7.2.13 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch ae89744c5ebf299bf55ac7581768fbd9f119a903/118a2cf4ced60777a2408001e2b4838fed1cea55 is able to eliminate this problem. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

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

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 7.2.0
• 7.2.1
• 7.2.2
• 7.2.3
• 7.2.4
• 7.2.5
• 7.2.6
• 7.2.7
• 7.2.8
• 7.2.9
• 7.2.10
• 7.2.11
• 7.2.12

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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Entryinfo

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

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