posix-cpu-timers: Prevent freeing a timer which is queued on the expiry list
Kijo analyzed another race in the POSIX CPU timer code:
Commit bf635681c906 converted cpu_timer::firing from a tristate value to a
boolean. This lost the distinction between "not owned by the firing list"
and "still owned, but delivery was canceled". The resulting race is:
expiry handler timer_settime() timer_delete()
-------------- --------------- --------------
collect timer onto
private firing list
firing = true
observes firing = true
firing = false
return TIMER_RETRY
wait for handler
observes firing = false
finish deletion
unhash and free timer
resume list traversal
read freed elist.next
-> UAF
The firing bit is clearly the wrong indicator since that commit.
Check whether the timer is queued on the expiry list or not instead. If it
is queued clear the firing bit to prevent signal delivery as before and
return TIMER_RETRY so the caller unlocks the timer which allows the expiry
code to make progress and remove it from the list.
Analysis
Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
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| Linux | Linux | affected |
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No data.
No data.
No data available yet.
No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.
Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Tracking
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Tue, 06 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: posix-cpu-timers: Prevent freeing a timer which is queued on the expiry list Kijo analyzed another race in the POSIX CPU timer code: Commit bf635681c906 converted cpu_timer::firing from a tristate value to a boolean. This lost the distinction between "not owned by the firing list" and "still owned, but delivery was canceled". The resulting race is: expiry handler timer_settime() timer_delete() -------------- --------------- -------------- collect timer onto private firing list firing = true observes firing = true firing = false return TIMER_RETRY wait for handler observes firing = false finish deletion unhash and free timer resume list traversal read freed elist.next -> UAF The firing bit is clearly the wrong indicator since that commit. Check whether the timer is queued on the expiry list or not instead. If it is queued clear the firing bit to prevent signal delivery as before and return TIMER_RETRY so the caller unlocks the timer which allows the expiry code to make progress and remove it from the list. | |
| Title | posix-cpu-timers: Prevent freeing a timer which is queued on the expiry list | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-10-06T08:45:23.379Z
Reserved: 2026-09-25T10:25:14.332Z
Link: CVE-2026-98258
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2026-10-06T09:18:14.737
Modified: 2026-10-06T09:18:14.737
Link: CVE-2026-98258
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
No weakness.