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

fs/resctrl: Fix use-after-free during unmount

During unmount or failure teardown all mon_data structures that contain
monitoring event file private data are freed after which kernfs nodes are
removed. However, the RDT_DELETED flag is never set for the statically
allocated default resource group.

A concurrent reader of an event file associated with the default resource
group may, after dropping kernfs active protection, block on rdtgroup_mutex
while unmount proceeds to free the file private data and destroy the kernfs
node without waiting for the reader.

When the mutex is released, the reader wakes up, observes that RDT_DELETED
is not set for the default group, and dereferences the already-freed
file private data.

The scenario can be depicted as follows:
CPU0 CPU1
/*
* Default resource group's
* monitoring data accessible via
* kernfs file with kernfs_node::priv
* pointing to a struct mon_data.
* User opens the file for reading.
*/
rdtgroup_mondata_show() /* arch encounters fatal error */
rdtgroup_kn_lock_live() resctrl_exit()
atomic_inc(&rdtgroup_default.waitcount) cpus_read_lock()
kernfs_break_active_protection(kn) mutex_lock(&rdtgroup_mutex)
cpus_read_lock() resctrl_fs_teardown()
mutex_lock(&rdtgroup_mutex) rmdir_all_sub()
mon_put_kn_priv()
/* Delete all mon_data structures */
rdtgroup_destroy_root()
kernfs_destroy_root()
rdtgroup_default.kn = NULL
mutex_unlock(&rdtgroup_mutex)
/*
* rdtgroup_default.flags is empty so
* rdtgroup_kn_lock_live() returns
* &rdtgroup_default
*/
md = of->kn->priv;

/* md points to freed mon_data */

Set RDT_DELETED for the default group unconditionally since the flag does
not lead to the freeing of this statically allocated group.

Do not allow a new resctrl mount if there are any waiters on default group
of previous mount. A new mount will re-initialize the default group that
would appear to waiters from previous mount as though the default group is
accessible causing them to access the mon_data structures from the previous
mount that have been removed.
Published: 2026-08-15
Score: n/a
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
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History

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/resctrl: Fix use-after-free during unmount During unmount or failure teardown all mon_data structures that contain monitoring event file private data are freed after which kernfs nodes are removed. However, the RDT_DELETED flag is never set for the statically allocated default resource group. A concurrent reader of an event file associated with the default resource group may, after dropping kernfs active protection, block on rdtgroup_mutex while unmount proceeds to free the file private data and destroy the kernfs node without waiting for the reader. When the mutex is released, the reader wakes up, observes that RDT_DELETED is not set for the default group, and dereferences the already-freed file private data. The scenario can be depicted as follows: CPU0 CPU1 /* * Default resource group's * monitoring data accessible via * kernfs file with kernfs_node::priv * pointing to a struct mon_data. * User opens the file for reading. */ rdtgroup_mondata_show() /* arch encounters fatal error */ rdtgroup_kn_lock_live() resctrl_exit() atomic_inc(&rdtgroup_default.waitcount) cpus_read_lock() kernfs_break_active_protection(kn) mutex_lock(&rdtgroup_mutex) cpus_read_lock() resctrl_fs_teardown() mutex_lock(&rdtgroup_mutex) rmdir_all_sub() mon_put_kn_priv() /* Delete all mon_data structures */ rdtgroup_destroy_root() kernfs_destroy_root() rdtgroup_default.kn = NULL mutex_unlock(&rdtgroup_mutex) /* * rdtgroup_default.flags is empty so * rdtgroup_kn_lock_live() returns * &rdtgroup_default */ md = of->kn->priv; /* md points to freed mon_data */ Set RDT_DELETED for the default group unconditionally since the flag does not lead to the freeing of this statically allocated group. Do not allow a new resctrl mount if there are any waiters on default group of previous mount. A new mount will re-initialize the default group that would appear to waiters from previous mount as though the default group is accessible causing them to access the mon_data structures from the previous mount that have been removed.
Title fs/resctrl: Fix use-after-free during unmount
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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Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-15T05:52:29.827Z

Reserved: 2026-08-09T03:40:39.904Z

Link: CVE-2026-72080

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-15T06:21:18.027

Modified: 2026-08-15T06:21:18.027

Link: CVE-2026-72080

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

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