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

ftrace: Take trace_array reference before accessing its ftrace_ops

The trace instance files set_ftrace_filter and set_ftrace_notrace was
updated to work with specific trace instances (trace_arrays). The issue is
that when these files are opened, there is a small race window where it
will use the ftrace_ops from the inode->private pointer to get a reference
to the trace_array and then take its reference. The problem is that the
ftrace_ops itself could be freed. If the rmdir on the instance happens at
the same time the set_ftrace_filter file is opened, the rmdir could have
also freed the ftrace_ops and referencing it will cause a use-after-free
bug and crash the kernel.

Instead, pass in the trace_array as the file private data (NULL for the
top level instance), and then pass both the trace_array and the ftrace_ops
to the ftrace_regex_open() function. If the trace_array is NULL, then it
just uses the ftrace_ops without the need to take its reference (like
normal). If the ftrace_ops is NULL, that is only the case for the top
level instance and the global_ops can be used.

This allows the trace_array to have its reference incremented before
touching the ftrace_ops that could also be freed when the instance is.
Published: 2026-09-16
Score: 7.8 High
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
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History

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 14:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}


Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ftrace: Take trace_array reference before accessing its ftrace_ops The trace instance files set_ftrace_filter and set_ftrace_notrace was updated to work with specific trace instances (trace_arrays). The issue is that when these files are opened, there is a small race window where it will use the ftrace_ops from the inode->private pointer to get a reference to the trace_array and then take its reference. The problem is that the ftrace_ops itself could be freed. If the rmdir on the instance happens at the same time the set_ftrace_filter file is opened, the rmdir could have also freed the ftrace_ops and referencing it will cause a use-after-free bug and crash the kernel. Instead, pass in the trace_array as the file private data (NULL for the top level instance), and then pass both the trace_array and the ftrace_ops to the ftrace_regex_open() function. If the trace_array is NULL, then it just uses the ftrace_ops without the need to take its reference (like normal). If the ftrace_ops is NULL, that is only the case for the top level instance and the global_ops can be used. This allows the trace_array to have its reference incremented before touching the ftrace_ops that could also be freed when the instance is.
Title ftrace: Take trace_array reference before accessing its ftrace_ops
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: 2026-09-16T14:41:18.991Z

Reserved: 2026-09-11T19:38:34.780Z

Link: CVE-2026-90002

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-09-16T11:17:12.697

Modified: 2026-09-16T15:18:24.020

Link: CVE-2026-90002

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-09-16T23:30:13Z

Weaknesses

No weakness.