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

perf/core: Order the PMU list to fix warning about unordered pmu_ctx_list

Syskaller triggers a warning due to prev_epc->pmu != next_epc->pmu in
perf_event_swap_task_ctx_data(). vmcore shows that two lists have the same
perf_event_pmu_context, but not in the same order.

The problem is that the order of pmu_ctx_list for the parent is impacted by
the time when an event/PMU is added. While the order for a child is
impacted by the event order in the pinned_groups and flexible_groups. So
the order of pmu_ctx_list in the parent and child may be different.

To fix this problem, insert the perf_event_pmu_context to its proper place
after iteration of the pmu_ctx_list.

The follow testcase can trigger above warning:

# perf record -e cycles --call-graph lbr -- taskset -c 3 ./a.out &
# perf stat -e cpu-clock,cs -p xxx // xxx is the pid of a.out

test.c

void main() {
int count = 0;
pid_t pid;

printf("%d running\n", getpid());
sleep(30);
printf("running\n");

pid = fork();
if (pid == -1) {
printf("fork error\n");
return;
}
if (pid == 0) {
while (1) {
count++;
}
} else {
while (1) {
count++;
}
}
}

The testcase first opens an LBR event, so it will allocate task_ctx_data,
and then open tracepoint and software events, so the parent context will
have 3 different perf_event_pmu_contexts. On inheritance, child ctx will
insert the perf_event_pmu_context in another order and the warning will
trigger.

[ mingo: Tidied up the changelog. ]
Advisories
Source ID Title
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2025-9426 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/core: Order the PMU list to fix warning about unordered pmu_ctx_list Syskaller triggers a warning due to prev_epc->pmu != next_epc->pmu in perf_event_swap_task_ctx_data(). vmcore shows that two lists have the same perf_event_pmu_context, but not in the same order. The problem is that the order of pmu_ctx_list for the parent is impacted by the time when an event/PMU is added. While the order for a child is impacted by the event order in the pinned_groups and flexible_groups. So the order of pmu_ctx_list in the parent and child may be different. To fix this problem, insert the perf_event_pmu_context to its proper place after iteration of the pmu_ctx_list. The follow testcase can trigger above warning: # perf record -e cycles --call-graph lbr -- taskset -c 3 ./a.out & # perf stat -e cpu-clock,cs -p xxx // xxx is the pid of a.out test.c void main() { int count = 0; pid_t pid; printf("%d running\n", getpid()); sleep(30); printf("running\n"); pid = fork(); if (pid == -1) { printf("fork error\n"); return; } if (pid == 0) { while (1) { count++; } } else { while (1) { count++; } } } The testcase first opens an LBR event, so it will allocate task_ctx_data, and then open tracepoint and software events, so the parent context will have 3 different perf_event_pmu_contexts. On inheritance, child ctx will insert the perf_event_pmu_context in another order and the warning will trigger. [ mingo: Tidied up the changelog. ]
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7521-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7521-2 Linux kernel (AWS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7521-3 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7764-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7764-2 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7765-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7766-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7767-1 Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7767-2 Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7779-1 Linux kernel (IBM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7790-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7800-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7801-1 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7802-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7801-2 Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7809-1 Linux kernel (Azure, N-Series) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7801-3 Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities
Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 19:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 2.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 4.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}


Fri, 23 May 2025 02:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-362
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 2.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L'}


Wed, 02 Apr 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Low


Tue, 01 Apr 2025 15:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/core: Order the PMU list to fix warning about unordered pmu_ctx_list Syskaller triggers a warning due to prev_epc->pmu != next_epc->pmu in perf_event_swap_task_ctx_data(). vmcore shows that two lists have the same perf_event_pmu_context, but not in the same order. The problem is that the order of pmu_ctx_list for the parent is impacted by the time when an event/PMU is added. While the order for a child is impacted by the event order in the pinned_groups and flexible_groups. So the order of pmu_ctx_list in the parent and child may be different. To fix this problem, insert the perf_event_pmu_context to its proper place after iteration of the pmu_ctx_list. The follow testcase can trigger above warning: # perf record -e cycles --call-graph lbr -- taskset -c 3 ./a.out & # perf stat -e cpu-clock,cs -p xxx // xxx is the pid of a.out test.c void main() { int count = 0; pid_t pid; printf("%d running\n", getpid()); sleep(30); printf("running\n"); pid = fork(); if (pid == -1) { printf("fork error\n"); return; } if (pid == 0) { while (1) { count++; } } else { while (1) { count++; } } } The testcase first opens an LBR event, so it will allocate task_ctx_data, and then open tracepoint and software events, so the parent context will have 3 different perf_event_pmu_contexts. On inheritance, child ctx will insert the perf_event_pmu_context in another order and the warning will trigger. [ mingo: Tidied up the changelog. ]
Title perf/core: Order the PMU list to fix warning about unordered pmu_ctx_list
References

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2025-05-04T07:23:42.762Z

Reserved: 2024-12-29T08:45:45.783Z

Link: CVE-2025-21895

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2025-04-01T16:15:19.883

Modified: 2025-10-31T18:50:50.357

Link: CVE-2025-21895

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Low

Publid Date: 2025-04-01T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2025-21895 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.