Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
perf: Fix refcount warning on event->mmap_count increment
When calling refcount_inc(&event->mmap_count) inside perf_mmap_rb(), the following warning is triggered:
refcount_t: addition on 0; use-after-free. WARNING: lib/refcount.c:25
PoC:
struct perf_event_attr attr = {0}; int fd = syscall(__NR_perf_event_open, &attr, 0, -1, -1, 0); mmap(NULL, 0x3000, PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE, MAP_SHARED, fd, 0); int victim = syscall(__NR_perf_event_open, &attr, 0, -1, fd, PERF_FLAG_FD_OUTPUT); mmap(NULL, 0x3000, PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE, MAP_SHARED, victim, 0);
This occurs when creating a group member event with the flag PERF_FLAG_FD_OUTPUT. The group leader should be mmap-ed and then mmap-ing the event triggers the warning.
Since the event has copied the output_event in perf_event_set_output(), event->rb is set. As a result, perf_mmap_rb() calls refcount_inc(&event->mmap_count) when event->mmap_count = 0.
Disallow the case when event->mmap_count = 0. This also prevents two events from updating the same user_page.
Metrics
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HAffected software
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | >= 448f97fba9013ffa13f5dd82febd18836b189499, < 23c0e4bd93d0b250775162faf456470485ac9fc7; >= 448f97fba9013ffa13f5dd82febd18836b189499, < d06bf78e55d5159c1b00072e606ab924ffbbad35 |
| Linux | Linux | 6.18 |
References
Timeline
- Published
- Feb 14, 2026
- Last modified
- Jun 17, 2026
- NVD status
- Analyzed