The Linux kernel contained a livelock in the timer migration routine tmigr_handle_remote_up that caused a continuous loop when’s local timer wheel advanced. The callback never fired and the event was repeatedly re‑queued, consuming 100 % CPU time and preventing the system from servicing other tasks. This condition results in a denial of service, as the affected CPU cannot process normal kernel operations while trapped in the loop.

All Linux kernel releases that include the timers/migration code before the recent patch are potentially affected. The public kernel commits linked in the references contain the fix, meaning any system running a kernel built from source that predates those changes could be impacted.

The exploitability is limited to conditions where timers expire after a local timer wheel advancement; therefore, the attack surface is moderate and likely requires the ability to generate timer activity or influence kernel scheduling. EPSS data is not available, and the vulnerability is not listed in CISA KEV, indicating that no publicly documented exploit is known. However, because the bug can cause a persistent CPU lockup, the risk to system availability remains significant, especially in high‑availability deployments.