CVE-2026-98942

sched_ext: Build the cid tables privately and publish them with RCU

Published Oct 23, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 4.7 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

sched_ext: Build the cid tables privately and publish them with RCU

The cid tables are visible to the cid kfuncs while being modified: the
first enable publishes the global pointers before filling them,
ops.init_cids() overrides rewrite them in place, and re-enables rebuild
them in place. A racing TRACING or SYSCALL program can read unfilled
entries, including uninitialized memory in the kmalloc'd tables, or torn
topo updates.

Tie the tables' lifetimes to the root sched instead: each root enable
builds a fresh set privately and publishes the per-table __rcu globals once
the layout is final, and root disable unpublishes and RCU-frees the set. A
non-NULL global is now always a fully built table which stays valid for the
reader's RCU read section, and lookups stay two loads. Kfuncs treat NULL as
no-mapping, also after the scheduler exits instead of reporting the stale
last mapping.

The cid kfuncs are available whether the root scheduler is cid-form or
cpu-form, the latter to allow gradual migration to cids. Every root
therefore builds and publishes a default mapping.

Every reader must either be gated on scheduler liveness or NULL-check
inside an RCU read section. Fix the two kfuncs that were neither:
scx_bpf_this_cid() read the table with no RCU or preemption protection and
scx_bpf_task_cid() relied on KF_RCU, which doesn't put a sleepable program
in an RCU read section. The hotplug callbacks are instead serialized by
retiring the tables inside the cpus_read_lock() section that clears
scx_root.

v2: Document why every root builds the tables (desc + cid.c comment).

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories available
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-200
CWE-788
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-820
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 4.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux linux
Vendors & Products Linux linux
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-200
CWE-788
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched_ext: Build the cid tables privately and publish them with RCU The cid tables are visible to the cid kfuncs while being modified: the first enable publishes the global pointers before filling them, ops.init_cids() overrides rewrite them in place, and re-enables rebuild them in place. A racing TRACING or SYSCALL program can read unfilled entries, including uninitialized memory in the kmalloc'd tables, or torn topo updates. Tie the tables' lifetimes to the root sched instead: each root enable builds a fresh set privately and publishes the per-table __rcu globals once the layout is final, and root disable unpublishes and RCU-frees the set. A non-NULL global is now always a fully built table which stays valid for the reader's RCU read section, and lookups stay two loads. Kfuncs treat NULL as no-mapping, also after the scheduler exits instead of reporting the stale last mapping. The cid kfuncs are available whether the root scheduler is cid-form or cpu-form, the latter to allow gradual migration to cids. Every root therefore builds and publishes a default mapping. Every reader must either be gated on scheduler liveness or NULL-check inside an RCU read section. Fix the two kfuncs that were neither: scx_bpf_this_cid() read the table with no RCU or preemption protection and scx_bpf_task_cid() relied on KF_RCU, which doesn't put a sleepable program in an RCU read section. The hotplug callbacks are instead serialized by retiring the tables inside the cpus_read_lock() section that clears scx_root. v2: Document why every root builds the tables (desc + cid.c comment).
Title sched_ext: Build the cid tables privately and publish them with RCU
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 26, 2026, 6:56 AM
Reserved
Sep 25, 2026, 10:25 AM
Status
Received
Published
Oct 23, 2026, 1:17 PM
Modified
Oct 26, 2026, 7:17 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Oct 23, 2026, 12:12 PM