CVE-2026-99203
What it is
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: pipe: preserve existing fasync readers on writer setup failure F_SETFL and FIOASYNC decide whether to invoke ->fasync() before pipe_fasync() takes pipe->mutex. Two enables of one O_RDWR FIFO can therefore both enter the callback. fasync_helper() allocates before checking for an existing entry. If the first enable installs both entries, a second enable can update the reader entry and then fail the allocation for the writer entry. The error path removes the pre-existing reader entry, clearing FASYNC while the writer entry remains registered. __fput() then skips ->fasync(), so a later pipe notification can dereference the freed file or its f_owner. An unprivileged memory-pressure reproducer triggers a KASAN slab-use-after-free in send_sigio() through this path. Keep the reader helper's result and undo the registration only if this call added it. The pipe mutex serializes changes to both lists, so a failed new registration still removes its reader, while a failed duplicate preserves the existing registrations and FASYNC. Successful duplicate enables continue to update fa_fd as before.
At a glance
- Exploitability
- Can be exploited locally on the machine with a low-privilege account. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.
- Exploit odds
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Fix
- No patch or advisory is linked yet. Look at mitigations or restrict exposure.
Timeline
- ReservedThe CVE id was reserved by its CNA
- PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
- Last updatedMost recent change to the record
Why it ranks here
- Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
- Exploit odds: 0.1% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
- Severity: 7.8 HIGH (CVSS).
- Fix: none linked yet, which raises it.
Details
- Published
- Last modified
- Exploit probability
- 0.1% · EPSS, next 30 days
- Record status
- Received
Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 7.8
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Is it in your code?
Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.
Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2026-99203.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2026-99203. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2259809e5b7043c4ba20af7b14ba3e471cf55521
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/22c7f57b0c0b0b8e19cfb41a1bd85f55715ad386
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/40bb03d3ea6f6a915218508819ecc4d7a7fa260d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4c42ce499ce4b1c787e61082e3b13df4f30c4eaa
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6041bcd185d4df051490fe166e64feae6c3b8291
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7cdbfa22a7e270b155ddb958b1583a999c0c8abb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/94be790dd6fbe0912f35bb711bea8ef3687eaca9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9b0aa2a1d8df51f3dcb363c3a2d9531098e88dc6