CVE Catalog

CVE-2026-99040

Low risk· EPSS 8%
Published: Updated: Translated: NVD NIST

Exploitation Probability (EPSS)

Low risk
0.18%

8th percentile - higher than 8% of all known CVEs

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the KEYS subsystem has an add_key() race with keyring restriction. __key_create_or_update() snapshots restrict_link before taking the semaphore, allowing a writer to observe no restriction, wait for installation, and link a key despite the restriction.

Risk Assessment

Bypassing a keyring restriction can allow adding a key that should be rejected, weakening access control. Write permission on the destination keyring is required.

Recommendation

Update the Linux kernel to a version containing the fix that moves the restrict_link read after __key_link_lock() and __key_link_begin().

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

See all
Original NVD description (English source)

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: KEYS: Fix add_key() race with keyring restriction __key_create_or_update() snapshots keyring->restrict_link before taking the destination keyring's semaphore. keyring_restrict() installs a restriction while holding that semaphore. This allows a writer to observe no restriction, wait for the keyring owner to install a reject-all restriction and return successfully, and then link a key using the stale NULL snapshot. The writer only needs write permission on the destination keyring. Move the restrict_link read after __key_link_lock() and __key_link_begin(). The read and the subsequent restriction check are then serialized with restriction installation by keyring->sem. The race was reproduced on v7.2.8 in 19 executions where restriction installation returned before the link completed. All 19 linked the key despite the reject-all restriction. With this change, 312 executions reached the same ordering and every add_key() call failed with -EPERM. The issue was found by manual concurrency analysis assisted by AI-based analysis and independently verified with a QEMU reproducer and kernel instrumentation.

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