In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
tracing/probes: Fix use-after-free on field name/type of events with multiple probes
The fields of a probe-based dynamic event (kprobe, uprobe, eprobe and
fprobe events) are created in traceprobe_define_arg_fields() by handing
the probe_arg name/type strings to trace_define_field(), which only
stores the pointers without copying. Those strings are owned by the
trace_probe and are freed when that probe is removed.
An event can have several probes attached. The field list is defined
only once, by the first probe that registers the event, but it is kept
alive by any surviving sibling probe. Deleting just that first probe by
symbol -
# primary A: fields are defined from A's args
echo 'p:kprobes/ev vfs_read a1=$arg1' > kprobe_events
# append B: shares A's event call
echo 'p:kprobes/ev vfs_write a1=$arg1' >> kprobe_events
# delete only A (matched by symbol), B survives
echo '-:kprobes/ev vfs_read' >> kprobe_events
frees A's args (trace_probe_cleanup() -> traceprobe_free_probe_arg()),
but trace_probe_unlink() keeps the trace_probe_event because the probe
list is not empty. The event call stays registered via B while its
fields now reference freed memory. Any field lookup then reads it, e.g.
echo 'a1 == 1' > events/kprobes/ev/filter
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in strcmp+0xa7/0xb0
Call Trace:
strcmp
trace_find_event_field
parse_pred
process_preds
create_filter
apply_event_filter
event_filter_write
field->name references parg->name (kstrdup'd, freed with the probe) and,
for array arguments, field->type references parg->fmt (kmalloc'd, freed
with the probe) - the scalar type otherwise points at the static
fmttype rodata, which is safe.
Have traceprobe_define_arg_fields() duplicate the name and type strings
and anchor the copies on the trace_probe_event, which embeds the event
call and outlives every individual probe; trace_probe_event_free()
releases them.
The reproducer above triggers reliably; the field lookup and the delete
both run under event_mutex, so this is a dangling reference after
removal rather than a race.
The issue was found by the autokbug dynamic kernel fuzzer at Tencent
Yunding Lab.
tracing/probes: Fix use-after-free on field name/type of events with multiple probes
The fields of a probe-based dynamic event (kprobe, uprobe, eprobe and
fprobe events) are created in traceprobe_define_arg_fields() by handing
the probe_arg name/type strings to trace_define_field(), which only
stores the pointers without copying. Those strings are owned by the
trace_probe and are freed when that probe is removed.
An event can have several probes attached. The field list is defined
only once, by the first probe that registers the event, but it is kept
alive by any surviving sibling probe. Deleting just that first probe by
symbol -
# primary A: fields are defined from A's args
echo 'p:kprobes/ev vfs_read a1=$arg1' > kprobe_events
# append B: shares A's event call
echo 'p:kprobes/ev vfs_write a1=$arg1' >> kprobe_events
# delete only A (matched by symbol), B survives
echo '-:kprobes/ev vfs_read' >> kprobe_events
frees A's args (trace_probe_cleanup() -> traceprobe_free_probe_arg()),
but trace_probe_unlink() keeps the trace_probe_event because the probe
list is not empty. The event call stays registered via B while its
fields now reference freed memory. Any field lookup then reads it, e.g.
echo 'a1 == 1' > events/kprobes/ev/filter
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in strcmp+0xa7/0xb0
Call Trace:
strcmp
trace_find_event_field
parse_pred
process_preds
create_filter
apply_event_filter
event_filter_write
field->name references parg->name (kstrdup'd, freed with the probe) and,
for array arguments, field->type references parg->fmt (kmalloc'd, freed
with the probe) - the scalar type otherwise points at the static
fmttype rodata, which is safe.
Have traceprobe_define_arg_fields() duplicate the name and type strings
and anchor the copies on the trace_probe_event, which embeds the event
call and outlives every individual probe; trace_probe_event_free()
releases them.
The reproducer above triggers reliably; the field lookup and the delete
both run under event_mutex, so this is a dangling reference after
removal rather than a race.
The issue was found by the autokbug dynamic kernel fuzzer at Tencent
Yunding Lab.
Metrics
Affected Vendors & Products
Advisories
No advisories yet.
Fixes
Solution
No solution given by the vendor.
Workaround
No workaround given by the vendor.
References
History
Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing/probes: Fix use-after-free on field name/type of events with multiple probes The fields of a probe-based dynamic event (kprobe, uprobe, eprobe and fprobe events) are created in traceprobe_define_arg_fields() by handing the probe_arg name/type strings to trace_define_field(), which only stores the pointers without copying. Those strings are owned by the trace_probe and are freed when that probe is removed. An event can have several probes attached. The field list is defined only once, by the first probe that registers the event, but it is kept alive by any surviving sibling probe. Deleting just that first probe by symbol - # primary A: fields are defined from A's args echo 'p:kprobes/ev vfs_read a1=$arg1' > kprobe_events # append B: shares A's event call echo 'p:kprobes/ev vfs_write a1=$arg1' >> kprobe_events # delete only A (matched by symbol), B survives echo '-:kprobes/ev vfs_read' >> kprobe_events frees A's args (trace_probe_cleanup() -> traceprobe_free_probe_arg()), but trace_probe_unlink() keeps the trace_probe_event because the probe list is not empty. The event call stays registered via B while its fields now reference freed memory. Any field lookup then reads it, e.g. echo 'a1 == 1' > events/kprobes/ev/filter BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in strcmp+0xa7/0xb0 Call Trace: strcmp trace_find_event_field parse_pred process_preds create_filter apply_event_filter event_filter_write field->name references parg->name (kstrdup'd, freed with the probe) and, for array arguments, field->type references parg->fmt (kmalloc'd, freed with the probe) - the scalar type otherwise points at the static fmttype rodata, which is safe. Have traceprobe_define_arg_fields() duplicate the name and type strings and anchor the copies on the trace_probe_event, which embeds the event call and outlives every individual probe; trace_probe_event_free() releases them. The reproducer above triggers reliably; the field lookup and the delete both run under event_mutex, so this is a dangling reference after removal rather than a race. The issue was found by the autokbug dynamic kernel fuzzer at Tencent Yunding Lab. | |
| Title | tracing/probes: Fix use-after-free on field name/type of events with multiple probes | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Projects
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MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-09-25T10:24:15.085Z
Reserved: 2026-09-25T10:19:56.074Z
Link: CVE-2026-98076
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2026-09-25T11:17:36.963
Modified: 2026-09-25T11:17:36.963
Link: CVE-2026-98076
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses
No weakness.