In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

fs/resctrl: Prevent use-after-free in rdtgroup_kn_put()

A struct rdtgroup is reference counted via rdtgroup::waitcount. Callers that
need the structure to remain valid across a sleep (while waiting on acquiring
rdtgroup_mutex) take a reference with rdtgroup_kn_get() and release it with
rdtgroup_kn_put().

The release path is intended to serve as the fallback freer: if the count
drops to zero and the group has already been marked RDT_DELETED,
rdtgroup_kn_put() frees the structure.

The bulk teardown paths free_all_child_rdtgrp() and rmdir_all_sub() resulting
from a resctrl directory remove or resctrl fs unmount act as the primary
freer: they hold rdtgroup_mutex and free each rdtgroup whose waitcount is
zero, otherwise they set RDT_DELETED and leave the freeing to the last waiter.

These two freers race. rdtgroup_kn_put() commits waitcount == 0 with
atomic_dec_and_test() outside rdtgroup_mutex, then reads rdtgroup::flags.
Between those two operations a concurrent caller of free_all_child_rdtgrp()
or rmdir_all_sub() (which holds the mutex) can observe waitcount == 0 via
atomic_read(), call rdtgroup_remove(), and kfree() the structure.

The subsequent read of rdtgroup::flags in rdtgroup_kn_put() is then
a use-after-free, and the structure may even be freed twice if the freed
memory happens to satisfy the RDT_DELETED flag check.

Replace the bare atomic_dec_and_test() with atomic_dec_and_mutex_lock() so
that the decrement-to-zero takes rdtgroup_mutex before the count becomes
globally visible. The inspection of rdtgroup::flags then runs under the same
mutex held by the bulk freers, making the two paths mutually exclusive.

The common case where the count does not reach zero remains lock-free. Defer
kernfs_unbreak_active_protection() until after the mutex is dropped since
kernfs active protections functionally wrap rdtgroup_mutex. Remove resource
group, which in turn drops its kernfs reference, after kernfs protection is
restored.

[ bp: Split the commit messsages into smaller, easier-parseable paragraphs. ]
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Fixes

Solution

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Workaround

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History

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/resctrl: Prevent use-after-free in rdtgroup_kn_put() A struct rdtgroup is reference counted via rdtgroup::waitcount. Callers that need the structure to remain valid across a sleep (while waiting on acquiring rdtgroup_mutex) take a reference with rdtgroup_kn_get() and release it with rdtgroup_kn_put(). The release path is intended to serve as the fallback freer: if the count drops to zero and the group has already been marked RDT_DELETED, rdtgroup_kn_put() frees the structure. The bulk teardown paths free_all_child_rdtgrp() and rmdir_all_sub() resulting from a resctrl directory remove or resctrl fs unmount act as the primary freer: they hold rdtgroup_mutex and free each rdtgroup whose waitcount is zero, otherwise they set RDT_DELETED and leave the freeing to the last waiter. These two freers race. rdtgroup_kn_put() commits waitcount == 0 with atomic_dec_and_test() outside rdtgroup_mutex, then reads rdtgroup::flags. Between those two operations a concurrent caller of free_all_child_rdtgrp() or rmdir_all_sub() (which holds the mutex) can observe waitcount == 0 via atomic_read(), call rdtgroup_remove(), and kfree() the structure. The subsequent read of rdtgroup::flags in rdtgroup_kn_put() is then a use-after-free, and the structure may even be freed twice if the freed memory happens to satisfy the RDT_DELETED flag check. Replace the bare atomic_dec_and_test() with atomic_dec_and_mutex_lock() so that the decrement-to-zero takes rdtgroup_mutex before the count becomes globally visible. The inspection of rdtgroup::flags then runs under the same mutex held by the bulk freers, making the two paths mutually exclusive. The common case where the count does not reach zero remains lock-free. Defer kernfs_unbreak_active_protection() until after the mutex is dropped since kernfs active protections functionally wrap rdtgroup_mutex. Remove resource group, which in turn drops its kernfs reference, after kernfs protection is restored. [ bp: Split the commit messsages into smaller, easier-parseable paragraphs. ]
Title fs/resctrl: Prevent use-after-free in rdtgroup_kn_put()
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-09-17T16:11:13.077Z

Reserved: 2026-09-17T16:02:15.085Z

Link: CVE-2026-93100

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-09-17T17:18:04.223

Modified: 2026-09-17T17:18:04.223

Link: CVE-2026-93100

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.