CVE-2026-68146
Received Received - Intake

Race Condition in Linux Kernel ftrace Parser

Publication date: 2026-08-10

Last updated on: 2026-08-10

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ftrace: Add global mutex to serialize trace_parser access In ftrace, the trace_parser structure is allocated and initialized when a trace file is opened, and is subsequently used across write and release handlers to parse user input. The affected handler paths and their specific functions are: - Open paths: ftrace_regex_open(), ftrace_graph_open() - Write paths: ftrace_regex_write(), ftrace_graph_write() - Release paths: ftrace_regex_release(), ftrace_graph_release() If userspace opens a trace file descriptor and shares it across multiple threads, concurrent write calls will race on the parser's internal state, specifically the 'idx', 'cont', and 'buffer' fields, leading to corrupted input or undefined behavior. Fix this by adding a global mutex, parser_lock, to serialize all access to trace_parser across write and release paths, preventing concurrent corruption of parser state.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-10
Last Modified
2026-08-10
Generated
2026-08-10
AI Q&A
2026-08-10
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-68146
EUVD
EUVD-2026-55530

Affected Vendors & Products

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

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Exploitability

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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves a race condition in the ftrace subsystem. The trace_parser structure, used to parse user input in trace files, can be corrupted if multiple threads access it concurrently. A global mutex has been added to serialize access and prevent undefined behavior.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's ftrace functionality and requires kernel-level access to detect. There are no direct network commands to detect it. You can check if your kernel is vulnerable by examining the ftrace code for the presence of the parser_lock mutex in the affected functions. Use commands like 'grep parser_lock /proc/kallsyms' or inspect kernel source files related to ftrace.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could lead to corrupted input or undefined behavior in the ftrace subsystem. This might cause system instability, crashes, or unexpected behavior in processes relying on ftrace functionality.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest kernel security updates from your Linux distribution to patch this vulnerability. If immediate patching is not possible, restrict access to ftrace-related files in /sys/kernel/debug/tracing to prevent unauthorized use. Monitor kernel mailing lists or security advisories for updates.

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