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

s390/cpum_cf: Handle CPU hotplug via prepare/dead callbacks

The command 'perf stat -e cycles -- <command>' crashes the kernel
when CPUs are hotplug added during that run.

Root cause is the allocation of struct cpu_cf_events at first
event initialization. The allocation is dynamic and the first
event that has task context creates such a structure for
each online CPU. This is not sufficient. CPUs may be offline
during event creation and can be set online during the
perf run time. For example commands

# echo 0 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/online
# perf stat -e cycles -i -- stress-ng -t10s --matrix X
# sleep 1
# echo 1 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/online

create an event for CPUs 0,2-X. Since the events are created with
task-context, the scheduler will eventually schedule the program
on CPU1. This CPU has not created and initialized any per
CPU event infrastructure as that CPU was not online at the time
of the perf invocation. Thus when the scheduler runs stress-ng
on CPU1, the function cpumf_pmu_add() refers to a NULL pointer:

struct cpu_cf_events *cpuhw = this_cpu_cfhw();

This function call is invoked after the task stress-ng has been
made runnable on CPU1. And this_cpu_cfhw() returns NULL.

The result is a panic:
Unable to handle kernel pointer dereference in virtual kernel address space
Failing address: 0000000000000000 TEID: 0000000000000483
....
Krnl PSW : 0404d00180000000 000003ef8291fd0c (cpumf_pmu_add+0x3c/0x80)
....
Call Trace:
[<000003ef8291fd0c>] cpumf_pmu_add+0x3c/0x80
[<000003ef82bb5e3e>] event_sched_in+0xae/0x190
[<000003ef82bb60d6>] merge_sched_in+0x1b6/0x390
[<000003ef82bb65b8>] visit_groups_merge.constprop.0.isra.0+0x308/0x5b0
[<000003ef82bb689a>] pmu_groups_sched_in+0x3a/0x50
[<000003ef82bb6a30>] ctx_sched_in+0x180/0x260
[<000003ef82bb780c>] perf_event_context_sched_in+0x11c/0x2d0
[<000003ef82bb79ee>] __perf_event_task_sched_in+0x2e/0xc0
[<000003ef82994834>] finish_task_switch.isra.0+0x1a4/0x250
....
Last Breaking-Event-Address:
[<000003ef8291f1d8>] this_cpu_cfhw+0x38/0x40

The issue arises only in per-task context when the CPUMF facility is
used and the scheduler picks a random CPU for such a process to run on.
The scheduler enables the CPUMF infrastructure via PMU callback
functions pmu::add() and pmu::del().

Introduce a CPU hotplug prepare/dead callback pair which creates and
removes the per CPU counter data while the CPU is offline. Count the
users which track every CPU (cpu == -1), that is perf_event_open()
events with task context and /dev/hwctr device sessions, in the new
counter cpu_cf_root::tskcnt, protected by pmc_reserve_mutex.
This ensures the infrastructure is available when
new CPU is selected to run the per-task context process.

In cpum_cf_free_root() and cpum_cf_free_cpu() ensure the reference
pointer to data structures is set to NULL before the data is freed
to prevent interrupt handlers to access stale data.

[gor@linux.ibm.com: change commit message]
Published: 2026-09-11
Score: 4.4 Medium
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: Kernel panic via NULL pointer dereference in the cpum_cf PMU during CPU hot‑plug events
Action: Apply Patch
AI Analysis

Impact

The flaw is a NULL‑pointer dereference in the cpum_cf subsystem that handles CPU hot‑plug events on Linux s390 kernels. When a perf event with task context is created while some CPUs are scheduler may run the process onCPU PMU data. The cpumf_pmu_add() function then dereferences a null pointer, causing the kernel to panic and the system to reboot.

Affected Systems

The vulnerability applies to all Linux kernel builds for the s390 architecture that include the cpum_cf PMU subsystem and have not yet applied the hot‑plug prepare/dead callback patch. Specific version information is not provided in the data.

Risk and Exploitability

The CVSS score of 4.4 indicates a low‑to‑moderate severity, and the EPSS score of < 1  not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Reaching the crash requires the ability to create a perf event with task context while CPUs are being hot‑plugged; this may involve modifying CPU online status and executing perf commands. If these conditions can be met, the resulting kernel panic would expose the system to a complete denial‑of‑service.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on September 21, 2026 at 01:10 UTC.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

  • Update the Linux kernel to include the commit that adds hot‑plug prepare/dead callbacks for cpum_cf.
  • Avoid running perf stat or other perf_event commands with task context while CPUs are being hot‑plugged.
  • As a temporary mitigation, disable CPU hot‑plug during perf operations or unload the cpum_cf module to prevent the fault.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on September 21, 2026 at 01:10 UTC.

Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6528-1 linux security update
History

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-476
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

 cvssV3_1

{'score': 4.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 23:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: s390/cpum_cf: Handle CPU hotplug via prepare/dead callbacks The command 'perf stat -e cycles -- <command>' crashes the kernel when CPUs are hotplug added during that run. Root cause is the allocation of struct cpu_cf_events at first event initialization. The allocation is dynamic and the first event that has task context creates such a structure for each online CPU. This is not sufficient. CPUs may be offline during event creation and can be set online during the perf run time. For example commands # echo 0 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/online # perf stat -e cycles -i -- stress-ng -t10s --matrix X # sleep 1 # echo 1 > /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu1/online create an event for CPUs 0,2-X. Since the events are created with task-context, the scheduler will eventually schedule the program on CPU1. This CPU has not created and initialized any per CPU event infrastructure as that CPU was not online at the time of the perf invocation. Thus when the scheduler runs stress-ng on CPU1, the function cpumf_pmu_add() refers to a NULL pointer: struct cpu_cf_events *cpuhw = this_cpu_cfhw(); This function call is invoked after the task stress-ng has been made runnable on CPU1. And this_cpu_cfhw() returns NULL. The result is a panic: Unable to handle kernel pointer dereference in virtual kernel address space Failing address: 0000000000000000 TEID: 0000000000000483 .... Krnl PSW : 0404d00180000000 000003ef8291fd0c (cpumf_pmu_add+0x3c/0x80) .... Call Trace: [<000003ef8291fd0c>] cpumf_pmu_add+0x3c/0x80 [<000003ef82bb5e3e>] event_sched_in+0xae/0x190 [<000003ef82bb60d6>] merge_sched_in+0x1b6/0x390 [<000003ef82bb65b8>] visit_groups_merge.constprop.0.isra.0+0x308/0x5b0 [<000003ef82bb689a>] pmu_groups_sched_in+0x3a/0x50 [<000003ef82bb6a30>] ctx_sched_in+0x180/0x260 [<000003ef82bb780c>] perf_event_context_sched_in+0x11c/0x2d0 [<000003ef82bb79ee>] __perf_event_task_sched_in+0x2e/0xc0 [<000003ef82994834>] finish_task_switch.isra.0+0x1a4/0x250 .... Last Breaking-Event-Address: [<000003ef8291f1d8>] this_cpu_cfhw+0x38/0x40 The issue arises only in per-task context when the CPUMF facility is used and the scheduler picks a random CPU for such a process to run on. The scheduler enables the CPUMF infrastructure via PMU callback functions pmu::add() and pmu::del(). Introduce a CPU hotplug prepare/dead callback pair which creates and removes the per CPU counter data while the CPU is offline. Count the users which track every CPU (cpu == -1), that is perf_event_open() events with task context and /dev/hwctr device sessions, in the new counter cpu_cf_root::tskcnt, protected by pmc_reserve_mutex. This ensures the infrastructure is available when new CPU is selected to run the per-task context process. In cpum_cf_free_root() and cpum_cf_free_cpu() ensure the reference pointer to data structures is set to NULL before the data is freed to prevent interrupt handlers to access stale data. [gor@linux.ibm.com: change commit message]
Title s390/cpum_cf: Handle CPU hotplug via prepare/dead callbacks
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-09-14T11:59:59.941Z

Reserved: 2026-09-11T19:38:34.708Z

Link: CVE-2026-89460

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-09-11T20:19:26.893

Modified: 2026-09-14T13:19:02.357

Link: CVE-2026-89460

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2026-09-11T19:43:22Z

Links: CVE-2026-89460 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-09-21T01:15:03Z

Weaknesses