CVE-2026-97920 — tracing: Keep the entry count when the histogram stats allocation fails
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Keep the entry count when the histogram stats allocation fails print_entries() uses n_entries both as the number of sort entries and as its own return value, so the -ENOMEM it stores when the stats allocation fails overwrites the count that the cleanup still needs: n_entries = tracing_map_sort_entries(map, ...); if (n_entries < 0) return n_entries; ... if (!stats) { n_entries = -ENOMEM; goto out; } ... out: tracing_map_destroy_sort_entries(sort_entries, n_entries); tracing_map_destroy_sort_entries() takes an unsigned int and loops up to it, so -ENOMEM arrives as 4294967284. It walks an array of at most map->max_elts pointers and calls destroy_sort_entry(), which dereferences and frees, on whatever lies past the end. Reading the hist file of a trigger with a .percent value, with that allocation forced to fail: BUG: KASAN: vmalloc-out-of-bounds in tracing_map_destroy_sort_entries+0xa0/0xb0 Read of size 8 at addr ffffc90000045000 by task init/1 tracing_map_destroy_sort_entries+0xa0/0xb0 hist_show+0x6f7/0x1df0 seq_read_iter+0x2b8/0x1190 vfs_read+0x176/0xa40 The buggy address belongs to a 4-page vmalloc region starting at ffffc90000041000 allocated at tracing_map_sort_entries+0x5c/0xd50 A few pages further the fault is fatal. The registers at the oops confirm the bound: the loop's end pointer less the array start, over the pointer size, is 4294967284. Return the error in a separate variable and leave n_entries holding the count, the way tracing_map_sort_entries() does on its own error path. The stats block is only entered for a value carrying .percent or .graph, which __create_val_field() has rejected since v6.3, so this cannot be reached in mainline as it stands. It becomes reachable again with "tracing: hist: let values keep the percent and graph modifiers", so it should be applied first.
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)+1
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 | ≥ 93454d1a306ea975294b861d32ffa1e44b20c733 and < 89c978d67ad01ce28223944cc58e95feea177b35≥ abaa5258ce5e5887a9de049f50a85dc023391a1c and < fe05eeed27128e17d38dbc0af02e4470bcecda89≥ abaa5258ce5e5887a9de049f50a85dc023391a1c and < 9bd8321f5370295d1ae96dd17d43be3c9edd441b≥ abaa5258ce5e5887a9de049f50a85dc023391a1c and < c80b2a8067d58ff7d268ceef781c68b37a16c321≥ abaa5258ce5e5887a9de049f50a85dc023391a1c and < 17e87ce55f877efff1b08fe509e8bf91378cbbc9≥ abaa5258ce5e5887a9de049f50a85dc023391a1c and < 06f5634ec5584954177f9a22e36b3bfb398a971b≥ 6.1.23 and < 6.1.189version 6.2 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
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× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
6 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9bd8321f5370295d1ae96dd17d43be3c9edd441b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/89c978d67ad01ce28223944cc58e95feea177b35
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c80b2a8067d58ff7d268ceef781c68b37a16c321
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/06f5634ec5584954177f9a22e36b3bfb398a971b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/fe05eeed27128e17d38dbc0af02e4470bcecda89
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/17e87ce55f877efff1b08fe509e8bf91378cbbc9
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98431 RDMA/uverbs: Fix mmap_lock/disassociation_lock circular dependency 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98430 RDMA/efa: Keep admin queues alive while IRQ is registered 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98429 RDMA/efa: Keep EQ resources alive while IRQ is registered 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98428 ALSA: usb: 6fire: Avoid embedded URBs 2d
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-2026-97920 is "tracing: Keep the entry count when the histogram stats allocation fails", 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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