CVE-2026-99227
Received Received - Intake

Integer Overflow in Linux Kernel io_uring

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-99227, including description, CVSS score, EPSS score, affected products, exploitability, helpful resources, and attack-flow context.

Publication date: 2026-11-02

Last updated on: 2026-11-02

Assigner: kernel.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: io_uring/waitid: prevent cancel reference wrap io_waitid packs the cancellation state into bit 31 of ->refs and uses bits 30:0 as a 31-bit reference counter: #define IO_WAITID_CANCEL_FLAG BIT(31) #define IO_WAITID_REF_MASK GENMASK(30, 0) __io_waitid_cancel() marks a request canceled, then increments the low bits of ->refs to claim completion ownership. When another path owns the request, the increment remains even though cancellation returns false. The request remains discoverable by cancellation, so repeated failed attempts can wrap the 31-bit reference field to zero. A later cancellation can claim ownership and complete the request a second time. Use atomic_fetch_or() when setting the cancel flag and inspect the old flag value. The first cancel attempt continues to the existing ownership increment, preserving its wake and issuer handoff semantics. Later attempts see the cancel flag and return without incrementing the reference field. This makes repeated failed cancellation attempts idempotent while leaving the first-cancel state transitions unchanged.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-11-02
Last Modified
2026-11-02
Generated
2026-11-02
AI Q&A
2026-11-02
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
Linux Linux f31ecf671ddc498f20219453395794ff2383e06b
Linux Linux f31ecf671ddc498f20219453395794ff2383e06b
Linux Linux f31ecf671ddc498f20219453395794ff2383e06b
Linux Linux f31ecf671ddc498f20219453395794ff2383e06b
Linux Linux 6.7

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves a flaw in the io_uring/waitid subsystem where a reference counter can wrap around due to improper handling of cancellation states. The issue occurs when repeated failed cancellation attempts increment a 31-bit reference field, eventually causing it to wrap to zero. This allows a later cancellation to claim ownership and complete the request twice, leading to potential misuse or corruption.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's io_uring subsystem and requires kernel-level detection. There are no standard network commands to detect it. Check if your kernel version includes the fix by examining the source code or running uname -a to compare against patched versions.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could allow an attacker with local access to cause a kernel reference counter to wrap, potentially leading to memory corruption, denial of service, or privilege escalation. Systems relying on io_uring for asynchronous I/O operations may experience instability or crashes.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability does not directly affect compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, or similar standards as it is a low-level kernel issue related to io_uring operations. Compliance impacts would depend on system-specific implementations and mitigations rather than the vulnerability itself.

Mitigation Strategies

Update your Linux kernel to a version that includes the fix for CVE-2026-99227. Monitor kernel security advisories and apply patches promptly. If immediate patching is not possible, consider disabling io_uring features as a temporary workaround.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-99227. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart

Security Radar

News mentioning this vulnerability
Loading related security news...