CVE-2026-98477
Received Received - Intake

NULL Pointer Dereference in Linux Kernel perf/core

Publication date: 2026-10-18

Last updated on: 2026-10-18

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/core: Fix NULL pmu_ctx passed to pmu->sched_task() perf_pmu_sched_task() returns early when cpuctx->task_ctx is set, and cpc->task_epc is only non-NULL while a task context is scheduled in on this CPU. __perf_pmu_sched_task() therefore always passes NULL: Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 00 pc : armv8pmu_sched_task+0x14/0x50 Call trace: armv8pmu_sched_task+0x14/0x50 (P) perf_pmu_sched_task+0xac/0x108 __perf_event_task_sched_out+0x6c/0xe0 Pass &cpc->epc instead, the CPU-wide context for this PMU, which the function already dereferences a few lines up to find pmu. armv8pmu_sched_task() is the only in-tree implementation that dereferences the argument, and it only reads ->pmu, so the oops needs BRBE, added in v6.17.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-10-18
Last Modified
2026-10-18
Generated
2026-10-18
AI Q&A
2026-10-18
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-98477
EUVD
EUVD-2026-103717

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
Linux Linux bd27568117664b8b3e259721393df420ed51f57b
Linux Linux bd27568117664b8b3e259721393df420ed51f57b
Linux Linux bd27568117664b8b3e259721393df420ed51f57b
Linux Linux bd27568117664b8b3e259721393df420ed51f57b
Linux Linux 6.2

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 is a NULL pointer dereference flaw in the Linux kernel's perf/core subsystem. It occurs when perf_pmu_sched_task() incorrectly passes a NULL value to armv8pmu_sched_task(), leading to a kernel crash. The issue arises because the function returns early under certain conditions without properly handling the CPU-wide context for the PMU (Performance Monitoring Unit).

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can cause system instability or crashes on affected Linux systems. If exploited, it may lead to denial-of-service conditions, where the system becomes unresponsive or requires a reboot. Systems using the armv8pmu_sched_task() function, particularly those with BRBE enabled (added in Linux v6.17), are at risk.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-98477. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart