In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
sched/psi: use kernfs polling functions for PSI trigger polling
Destroying psi trigger in cgroup_file_release causes UAF issues when
a cgroup is removed from under a polling process. This is happening
because cgroup removal causes a call to cgroup_file_release while the
actual file is still alive. Destroying the trigger at this point would
also destroy its waitqueue head and if there is still a polling process
on that file accessing the waitqueue, it will step on the freed pointer:
do_select
vfs_poll
do_rmdir
cgroup_rmdir
kernfs_drain_open_files
cgroup_file_release
cgroup_pressure_release
psi_trigger_destroy
wake_up_pollfree(&t->event_wait)
// vfs_poll is unblocked
synchronize_rcu
kfree(t)
poll_freewait -> UAF access to the trigger's waitqueue head
Patch [1] fixed this issue for epoll() case using wake_up_pollfree(),
however the same issue exists for synchronous poll() case.
The root cause of this issue is that the lifecycles of the psi trigger's
waitqueue and of the file associated with the trigger are different. Fix
this by using kernfs_generic_poll function when polling on cgroup-specific
psi triggers. It internally uses kernfs_open_node->poll waitqueue head
with its lifecycle tied to the file's lifecycle. This also renders the
fix in [1] obsolete, so revert it.
[1] commit c2dbe32d5db5 ("sched/psi: Fix use-after-free in ep_remove_wait_queue()")
sched/psi: use kernfs polling functions for PSI trigger polling
Destroying psi trigger in cgroup_file_release causes UAF issues when
a cgroup is removed from under a polling process. This is happening
because cgroup removal causes a call to cgroup_file_release while the
actual file is still alive. Destroying the trigger at this point would
also destroy its waitqueue head and if there is still a polling process
on that file accessing the waitqueue, it will step on the freed pointer:
do_select
vfs_poll
do_rmdir
cgroup_rmdir
kernfs_drain_open_files
cgroup_file_release
cgroup_pressure_release
psi_trigger_destroy
wake_up_pollfree(&t->event_wait)
// vfs_poll is unblocked
synchronize_rcu
kfree(t)
poll_freewait -> UAF access to the trigger's waitqueue head
Patch [1] fixed this issue for epoll() case using wake_up_pollfree(),
however the same issue exists for synchronous poll() case.
The root cause of this issue is that the lifecycles of the psi trigger's
waitqueue and of the file associated with the trigger are different. Fix
this by using kernfs_generic_poll function when polling on cgroup-specific
psi triggers. It internally uses kernfs_open_node->poll waitqueue head
with its lifecycle tied to the file's lifecycle. This also renders the
fix in [1] obsolete, so revert it.
[1] commit c2dbe32d5db5 ("sched/psi: Fix use-after-free in ep_remove_wait_queue()")
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Workaround
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References
History
Wed, 24 Dec 2025 11:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched/psi: use kernfs polling functions for PSI trigger polling Destroying psi trigger in cgroup_file_release causes UAF issues when a cgroup is removed from under a polling process. This is happening because cgroup removal causes a call to cgroup_file_release while the actual file is still alive. Destroying the trigger at this point would also destroy its waitqueue head and if there is still a polling process on that file accessing the waitqueue, it will step on the freed pointer: do_select vfs_poll do_rmdir cgroup_rmdir kernfs_drain_open_files cgroup_file_release cgroup_pressure_release psi_trigger_destroy wake_up_pollfree(&t->event_wait) // vfs_poll is unblocked synchronize_rcu kfree(t) poll_freewait -> UAF access to the trigger's waitqueue head Patch [1] fixed this issue for epoll() case using wake_up_pollfree(), however the same issue exists for synchronous poll() case. The root cause of this issue is that the lifecycles of the psi trigger's waitqueue and of the file associated with the trigger are different. Fix this by using kernfs_generic_poll function when polling on cgroup-specific psi triggers. It internally uses kernfs_open_node->poll waitqueue head with its lifecycle tied to the file's lifecycle. This also renders the fix in [1] obsolete, so revert it. [1] commit c2dbe32d5db5 ("sched/psi: Fix use-after-free in ep_remove_wait_queue()") | |
| Title | sched/psi: use kernfs polling functions for PSI trigger polling | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Projects
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MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2025-12-24T10:55:49.840Z
Reserved: 2025-12-24T10:53:46.179Z
Link: CVE-2023-54019
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2025-12-24T11:15:54.903
Modified: 2025-12-24T11:15:54.903
Link: CVE-2023-54019
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses
No weakness.