HIGH Introduced in 3.15
ftrace InstanceOps UAF
CVE-2026-90002
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
KernelScan AI6.2MEDIUM
01Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ftrace: Take trace_array reference before accessing its ftrace_ops The trace instance files set_ftrace_filter and set_ftrace_notrace was updated to work with specific trace instances (trace_arrays). The issue is that when these files are opened, there is a small race window where it will use the ftrace_ops from the inode->private pointer to get a reference to the trace_array and then take its reference. The problem is that the ftrace_ops itself could be freed. If the rmdir on the instance happens at the same time the set_ftrace_filter file is opened, the rmdir could have also freed the ftrace_ops and referencing it will cause a use-after-free bug and crash the kernel. Instead, pass in the trace_array as the file private data (NULL for the top level instance), and then pass both the trace_array and the ftrace_ops to the ftrace_regex_open() function. If the trace_array is NULL, then it just uses the ftrace_ops without the need to take its reference (like normal). If the ftrace_ops is NULL, that is only the case for the top level instance and the global_ops can be used. This allows the trace_array to have its reference incremented before touching the ftrace_ops that could also be freed when the instance is.
02KernelScan AI Analysis
Risk summary
A local user with root or CAP_SYS_ADMIN privileges can trigger a use-after-free in the ftrace subsystem by racing the removal of a trace instance against opening its filter file. This can crash the kernel and potentially lead to arbitrary memory corruption. The vulnerability requires precise timing and access to tracefs, limiting exposure to systems where privileged users interact with tracing instances.
Vulnerability analysis
When a trace instance filter file is opened, the kernel used an internal pointer from the file metadata to locate the trace instance. If another process removes that instance at the same time, the pointer can already be freed, causing the open path to use stale memory. The fix stores the trace instance reference directly in the file metadata and restructures the open path to secure the instance before touching any derived data, ensuring the objects stay valid. This vulnerability is reachable locally by a user with privileges to create and remove trace instances (typically root or CAP_SYS_ADMIN), and requires winning a narrow race between opening the filter file and tearing down the instance.
Lifecycle
03Fix Versions
| Branch | Introduced | Fixed in | Patch commit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.12 | 3.15 | 6.12.112 | 177cd8966325 |
| 6.18 | 3.15 | 6.18.52 | 83fd7eca5ab0 |
| 7.2 | 3.15 | 7.2.5 | cee8f286794d |
| mainline | 3.15 | 7.3-rc2 | 9100191e5acb |