CVE-2026-89690

nfsd: defer vfree of compound ops to fix rpc_status UAF

Published Sep 11, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.8 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

nfsd: defer vfree of compound ops to fix rpc_status UAF

The rpc_status netlink dumpit walks every in-flight svc_rqst under
rcu_read_lock and, for NFSv4 requests, reads opnums out of
args->ops[]. But args->ops is a separate vmalloc buffer freed
synchronously by vfree() in nfsd4_release_compoundargs() at the end
of every compound. The dumpit's rcu_read_lock pins the svc_rqst
struct itself (freed via kfree_rcu), but nothing defers the vfree
of the ops buffer across the RCU grace period. A concurrent compound
completion can therefore free the buffer while the dumpit is reading
it — a use-after-free on vmalloc memory.

The trailing seqcount recheck (smp_load_acquire of rq_status_counter)
cannot undo a load that already retired against freed memory.

Fix by replacing vfree(args->ops) with kvfree_rcu_mightsleep(), which
defers the free until after an RCU grace period. This makes the
existing rcu_read_lock in the dumpit sufficient to protect the read.
The tradeoff is that completed compound ops buffers (up to
200 * sizeof(struct nfsd4_op)) persist in memory slightly longer,
across one grace period, before being reclaimed.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4817-1 linux-6.12 security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6528-1 linux security update
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9002-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9019-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9020-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9022-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9023-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9024-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9025-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9026-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9039-1 Linux kernel (Azure CVM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9040-1 Linux kernel (Low Latency NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9066-1 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-825
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Important

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: defer vfree of compound ops to fix rpc_status UAF The rpc_status netlink dumpit walks every in-flight svc_rqst under rcu_read_lock and, for NFSv4 requests, reads opnums out of args->ops[]. But args->ops is a separate vmalloc buffer freed synchronously by vfree() in nfsd4_release_compoundargs() at the end of every compound. The dumpit's rcu_read_lock pins the svc_rqst struct itself (freed via kfree_rcu), but nothing defers the vfree of the ops buffer across the RCU grace period. A concurrent compound completion can therefore free the buffer while the dumpit is reading it — a use-after-free on vmalloc memory. The trailing seqcount recheck (smp_load_acquire of rq_status_counter) cannot undo a load that already retired against freed memory. Fix by replacing vfree(args->ops) with kvfree_rcu_mightsleep(), which defers the free until after an RCU grace period. This makes the existing rcu_read_lock in the dumpit sufficient to protect the read. The tradeoff is that completed compound ops buffers (up to 200 * sizeof(struct nfsd4_op)) persist in memory slightly longer, across one grace period, before being reclaimed.
Title nfsd: defer vfree of compound ops to fix rpc_status UAF
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Oct 19, 2026, 8:51 AM
Reserved
Sep 11, 2026, 7:38 PM
Status
Received
Published
Sep 11, 2026, 8:19 PM
Modified
Oct 19, 2026, 9:18 AM
Severity
Important
Public date
Sep 11, 2026, 7:46 PM