CVE-2026-89996 — dma-buf: dma-heap: don't publish fd before copy_to_user() succeeds
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: dma-buf: dma-heap: don't publish fd before copy_to_user() succeeds DMA_HEAP_IOCTL_ALLOC allocates a dma-buf and installs an fd into the caller's fd table via dma_buf_fd() -> fd_install() before dma_heap_ioctl() copies the result back to userspace. If the trailing copy_to_user() fails, userspace never learns the fd number, but the fd (and the underlying dma-buf reference) are already visible to other threads in the same process and are leaked for the lifetime of the process. The obvious "close it on the failure path" fix is unsafe: once fd_install() has run, another thread can already dup() the fd, send it via SCM_RIGHTS, or close() it and let its number be reused, so a subsequent close_fd() from the ioctl path can operate on an unrelated file. This was pointed out by Christian König on v1 [1]. Restructure the allocation path so that fd_install() is the last, unfailable step of a successful ioctl: 1. heap->ops->allocate() creates the dma_buf. 2. get_unused_fd_flags() reserves an fd number in the caller's fd table without publishing it, so no other thread can observe it. 3. copy_to_user() delivers the fd number to userspace; on failure the fd is returned with put_unused_fd() and the dma_buf reference is dropped with dma_buf_put(), leaving no user- visible state behind. 4. dma_buf_fd_install() publishes the fd and emits the trace_dma_buf_fd tracepoint -- from here on the ioctl cannot fail. A new dma_buf_fd_install() helper is introduced in dma-buf.c to wrap fd_install() together with the DMA_BUF_TRACE() call, preserving the export tracing that dma_buf_fd() provides. dma_heap_ioctl_allocate() is refactored to return the struct dma_buf * directly (returning ERR_PTR on failure) so the caller holds the dmabuf reference across steps 3 and 4. The failure at step 3 is easily reachable from userspace: pass a struct dma_heap_allocation_data that lives in a page whose protection is flipped to PROT_READ between copy_from_user() and copy_to_user() (e.g. via mprotect()). Before this change each such ioctl leaks one dmabuf fd; after it, the fd table is unchanged on failure and only /dev/dma_heap/<name> remains open. No UAPI or heap-driver interface change. [1] https://lore.kernel.org/dri-devel/175e98de-f414-47d7-81c1-c0fe0a8f7f62@amd.com/
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+2
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux).
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | ≥ c02a81fba74fe3488ad6b08bfb5a1329005418f8 and < 1bf6083a41f810d760c4dcd1b80c5194a92575aa≥ c02a81fba74fe3488ad6b08bfb5a1329005418f8 and < 69d57dbadb27ffd5eef34fd184bab145500cdabc≥ c02a81fba74fe3488ad6b08bfb5a1329005418f8 and < 0d4a5d218055db29b50cc07d3d73d27007c2a391≥ c02a81fba74fe3488ad6b08bfb5a1329005418f8 and < 30d0aff2c65a277135cfd8ea28fa1ee75e0ea4e0version 5.6 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 15, 2026 → Oct 19, 2026 · 4 reading(s) · max 0.21%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Not enough vector or weakness data: use the affected application’s logs as a starting point.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Record published
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Source status changed · → Received
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× References added · Oct 19, 2026 – Oct 19, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
6 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0d4a5d218055db29b50cc07d3d73d27007c2a391
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89996
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1bf6083a41f810d760c4dcd1b80c5194a92575aa
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-cr94-3ppf-3v5m
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/30d0aff2c65a277135cfd8ea28fa1ee75e0ea4e0
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/69d57dbadb27ffd5eef34fd184bab145500cdabc
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Unknown CVE-2026-98866 sched/cache: Introduce task_struct->sched_cache_grp to fix UAF 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98867 dm-pcache: bound the logical key offset from persistent memory 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98868 dm-pcache: reject a kset that overruns its segment 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98856 kprobes: Skip disarmed probes when checking optkprobe overlap 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98857 ipvs: bound LBLCR and LBLC cache growth 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98858 io_uring: fix task_work add use-after-free with SQPOLL 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CVSS score published by NVD, the CNA, CISA or GitHub so far.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No CWE classification.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-89996 is "dma-buf: dma-heap: don't publish fd before copy_to_user() succeeds", rated Unknown. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. EPSS 0.21% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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