CVE Catalog

CVE-2026-68438

Low risk· EPSS 4%
Published: Updated: Translated: NVD NIST

Exploitation Probability (EPSS)

Low risk
0.15%

4th percentile - higher than 4% of all known CVEs

Summary

In the Linux kernel's SMP mechanism, when CSD lock debugging is enabled, multiple CPUs can concurrently prepare the same destination CPU CSD, leading to a non-atomic read-modify-write on the CSD_FLAG_LOCK bit. This can cause the same llist node to be added again, leading to deadlock or soft-lockup.

Risk Assessment

The vulnerability can lead to deadlocks, soft-lockups, or panics, resulting in denial of service.

Recommendation

Apply the kernel patch that uses try_cmpxchg_acquire() to atomically set the CSD_FLAG_LOCK bit in debug mode, preserving the non-debug fast path.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

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Original NVD description (English source)

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smp: Make CSD lock acquisition atomic for debug mode Commit b0473dcd4b1d ("smp: Improve smp_call_function_single() CSD-lock diagnostics") changed smp_call_function_single() so that, when CSD lock debugging is enabled, async !wait calls use the destination CPU csd_data. That improves diagnostics, but it also removes the single-writer property that made the old csd_lock() safe: multiple CPUs can now prepare the same destination CPU CSD concurrently. csd_lock() currently waits for CSD_FLAG_LOCK to clear and then sets the bit with a non-atomic read-modify-write. Two senders can both see an unlocked CSD, set the bit, overwrite the callback fields, and enqueue the same llist node. Re-adding a node that is already the queue head can make node->next point to itself, leaving the target CPU stuck walking call_single_queue. Later synchronous work, such as a TLB shootdown, can then remain queued and trigger soft-lockup warnings or panics. Keep the single csd_lock() implementation, but when CSD lock debugging is enabled, acquire CSD_FLAG_LOCK with try_cmpxchg_acquire(). This makes the destination CPU CSD a real atomic lock in the only configuration where it can be shared by multiple remote senders, while preserving the existing non-debug fast path.

Vulnerability data from NVD (NIST) · CISA KEV · EPSS