CVE-2026-98464

RISC-V: KVM: Synchronize hrtimer callback during teardown

Published Oct 18, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 9.3 Critical EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

RISC-V: KVM: Synchronize hrtimer callback during teardown

The non-Sstc hrtimer callback clears next_set before its final uses of
the enclosing vCPU. If teardown observes next_set as false while the
callback is still running, kvm_riscv_vcpu_timer_cancel() skips
hrtimer_cancel() and kvm_destroy_vcpus() can free the vCPU before the
callback enters kvm_riscv_vcpu_set_interrupt().

A guest can arm the timer with SBI TIME and request shutdown with SBI
legacy shutdown or SRST. A VMM that honors KVM_EXIT_SYSTEM_EVENT and
destroys the VM supplies the teardown side of the race; no post-launch
host ioctl is needed to arm or request teardown.

On upstream master 62cc90241548, generic KASAN reported:

BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in do_raw_spin_lock
Write of size 4 at addr ff60000005e58898

kvm_riscv_vcpu_set_interrupt
kvm_riscv_vcpu_hrtimer_expired
__hrtimer_run_queues
hrtimer_interrupt

The object was allocated by KVM_CREATE_VCPU and freed concurrently by:

kvm_destroy_vcpus
kvm_arch_destroy_vm
kvm_destroy_vm
__fput

For deterministic validation, I added mdelay(1000) immediately after
the existing next_set = false assignment. This only widens the
existing post-clear callback window. A no-delay trace build naturally
reached the callback-after-teardown-start/before-deinit ordering in 12
of 200 runs, but 1,500 stock-kernel stress iterations did not produce a
KASAN report, so natural reproduction is timing-sensitive.

Always invoke hrtimer_cancel() for an initialized timer. Preserve the
existing -EINVAL result when the timer is no longer set, but only after
synchronizing with a running callback.

With this patch, hrtimer_cancel() blocked for the full widened callback
window before vCPU destruction. KASAN reported no error in 100
fixed-and-widened runs or 200 fix-only timing-sweep runs.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4850-1 linux-6.12 security update
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
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-9091-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.6, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-362
CWE-416
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-825
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.6, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-362
CWE-416
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: RISC-V: KVM: Synchronize hrtimer callback during teardown The non-Sstc hrtimer callback clears next_set before its final uses of the enclosing vCPU. If teardown observes next_set as false while the callback is still running, kvm_riscv_vcpu_timer_cancel() skips hrtimer_cancel() and kvm_destroy_vcpus() can free the vCPU before the callback enters kvm_riscv_vcpu_set_interrupt(). A guest can arm the timer with SBI TIME and request shutdown with SBI legacy shutdown or SRST. A VMM that honors KVM_EXIT_SYSTEM_EVENT and destroys the VM supplies the teardown side of the race; no post-launch host ioctl is needed to arm or request teardown. On upstream master 62cc90241548, generic KASAN reported: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in do_raw_spin_lock Write of size 4 at addr ff60000005e58898 kvm_riscv_vcpu_set_interrupt kvm_riscv_vcpu_hrtimer_expired __hrtimer_run_queues hrtimer_interrupt The object was allocated by KVM_CREATE_VCPU and freed concurrently by: kvm_destroy_vcpus kvm_arch_destroy_vm kvm_destroy_vm __fput For deterministic validation, I added mdelay(1000) immediately after the existing next_set = false assignment. This only widens the existing post-clear callback window. A no-delay trace build naturally reached the callback-after-teardown-start/before-deinit ordering in 12 of 200 runs, but 1,500 stock-kernel stress iterations did not produce a KASAN report, so natural reproduction is timing-sensitive. Always invoke hrtimer_cancel() for an initialized timer. Preserve the existing -EINVAL result when the timer is no longer set, but only after synchronizing with a running callback. With this patch, hrtimer_cancel() blocked for the full widened callback window before vCPU destruction. KASAN reported no error in 100 fixed-and-widened runs or 200 fix-only timing-sweep runs.
Title RISC-V: KVM: Synchronize hrtimer callback during teardown
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 24, 2026, 2:08 PM
Reserved
Sep 25, 2026, 10:25 AM
Status
Received
Published
Oct 18, 2026, 4:16 PM
Modified
Oct 24, 2026, 2:16 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Oct 18, 2026, 12:00 AM