CVE-2026-64192
Received Received - Intake

BPF LSM Uninitialized Inode Storage Map Kernel Panic

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-64192, including description, CVSS score, EPSS score, affected products, exploitability, helpful resources, and attack-flow context.

Publication date: 2026-07-20

Last updated on: 2026-07-20

Assigner: kernel.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Reject BPF_MAP_TYPE_INODE_STORAGE creation if BPF LSM is uninitialized When CONFIG_BPF_LSM=y is set, BPF inode storage maps (BPF_MAP_TYPE_INODE_STORAGE) are compiled into the kernel. However, if the BPF LSM is not explicitly enabled at boot time (e.g. omitted from the "lsm=" boot parameter), lsm_prepare() is never executed for the BPF LSM. Consequently, the BPF inode security blob offset (bpf_lsm_blob_sizes.lbs_inode) is never initialized and remains at its default compiled size of 8 bytes instead of being updated to a valid offset past the reserved struct rcu_head (typically 16 bytes or more). When a privileged user creates and updates a BPF_MAP_TYPE_INODE_STORAGE map, bpf_inode() evaluates inode->i_security + 8. This erroneously aliases the struct rcu_head.func callback pointer at the beginning of the inode->i_security blob. During subsequent map element cleanup or inode destruction, writing NULL to owner_storage clears the queued RCU callback pointer. When rcu_do_batch() later executes the queued callback, it attempts an instruction fetch at address 0x0, triggering an immediate kernel panic. Fix this by introducing a global bpf_lsm_initialized boolean flag marked with __ro_after_init. Set this flag to true inside bpf_lsm_init() when the LSM framework successfully registers the BPF LSM. Gate map allocation in inode_storage_map_alloc() on this flag, returning -EOPNOTSUPP if the BPF LSM is in turn uninitialized. This fail-fast approach prevents userspace from allocating inode storage maps when the supporting BPF LSM infrastructure is absent, avoiding zombie map states.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-07-20
Last Modified
2026-07-20
Generated
2026-07-21
AI Q&A
2026-07-20
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
EUVD

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This is a Linux kernel vulnerability where BPF_MAP_TYPE_INODE_STORAGE maps can cause a kernel panic if the BPF LSM is not initialized at boot. The issue occurs because the security blob offset remains uninitialized, causing incorrect memory access when cleaning up map elements or destroying inodes. This leads to a NULL pointer dereference in RCU callback execution.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel and requires checking kernel configuration and BPF LSM status. Run 'grep CONFIG_BPF_LSM /boot/config-$(uname -r)' to verify if BPF_LSM is enabled. Check LSM boot parameters with 'cat /proc/cmdline | grep lsm='. Inspect kernel logs for BPF-related errors using 'dmesg | grep -i bpf'.

Impact Analysis

A privileged user could exploit this to crash the system by creating and updating BPF inode storage maps when the BPF LSM is not enabled. This results in a kernel panic, causing denial of service and potential data loss or system unavailability.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability causes kernel panics due to improper handling of BPF inode storage when the BPF LSM is uninitialized. It does not directly impact compliance with GDPR or HIPAA, but system instability or crashes could lead to data processing interruptions or loss of access controls, potentially affecting compliance if critical security or privacy functions are disrupted.

Mitigation Strategies

Ensure BPF LSM is explicitly enabled at boot by adding 'lsm=lockdown,bpf' to kernel boot parameters. Update the Linux kernel to a patched version where this issue is resolved. Monitor system stability after changes and verify BPF functionality with 'bpftool map list'.

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