In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
sched/psi: Shut down rtpoll_timer in psi_cgroup_free()
psi_schedule_rtpoll_work() is called locklessly from the scheduler hotpath
and can race psi_trigger_destroy() taking down the last rtpoll trigger under
rtpoll_trigger_lock:
psi_schedule_rtpoll_work() psi_trigger_destroy()
rcu_read_lock();
task = rcu_dereference(rtpoll_task);
rcu_assign_pointer(rtpoll_task, NULL);
timer_delete(&rtpoll_timer);
mod_timer(&rtpoll_timer, ...);
rcu_read_unlock();
synchronize_rcu();
kthread_stop(task_to_destroy);
The group can then be freed with the re-armed timer still pending, and
poll_timer_fn() runs on freed memory.
461daba06bdc ("psi: eliminate kthread_worker from psi trigger scheduling
mechanism") deleted the timer synchronously after the synchronize_rcu(),
which prevented this but raced trigger creation instead: the deletion could
cancel the timer that a new trigger set armed during the grace period and,
as creation also reinitialized the timer at the time, corrupt it.
8f91efd870ea ("psi: Fix race between psi_trigger_create/destroy") moved the
initialization into group_init() and the deletion into the locked section,
trading the creation races for the window above.
Neither placement in the destruction path works. A pending timer firing
while the group is alive is harmless though. poll_timer_fn() just wakes the
rtpoll waitqueue and doesn't re-arm itself. Bind the timer to the group's
lifetime instead and shut it down in psi_cgroup_free(). Nothing can arm it
by then. timer_shutdown_sync() because the timer is never armed again.
sched/psi: Shut down rtpoll_timer in psi_cgroup_free()
psi_schedule_rtpoll_work() is called locklessly from the scheduler hotpath
and can race psi_trigger_destroy() taking down the last rtpoll trigger under
rtpoll_trigger_lock:
psi_schedule_rtpoll_work() psi_trigger_destroy()
rcu_read_lock();
task = rcu_dereference(rtpoll_task);
rcu_assign_pointer(rtpoll_task, NULL);
timer_delete(&rtpoll_timer);
mod_timer(&rtpoll_timer, ...);
rcu_read_unlock();
synchronize_rcu();
kthread_stop(task_to_destroy);
The group can then be freed with the re-armed timer still pending, and
poll_timer_fn() runs on freed memory.
461daba06bdc ("psi: eliminate kthread_worker from psi trigger scheduling
mechanism") deleted the timer synchronously after the synchronize_rcu(),
which prevented this but raced trigger creation instead: the deletion could
cancel the timer that a new trigger set armed during the grace period and,
as creation also reinitialized the timer at the time, corrupt it.
8f91efd870ea ("psi: Fix race between psi_trigger_create/destroy") moved the
initialization into group_init() and the deletion into the locked section,
trading the creation races for the window above.
Neither placement in the destruction path works. A pending timer firing
while the group is alive is harmless though. poll_timer_fn() just wakes the
rtpoll waitqueue and doesn't re-arm itself. Bind the timer to the group's
lifetime instead and shut it down in psi_cgroup_free(). Nothing can arm it
by then. timer_shutdown_sync() because the timer is never armed again.
Advisories
No advisories yet.
Fixes
Solution
No solution given by the vendor.
Workaround
No workaround given by the vendor.
References
History
Sat, 22 Aug 2026 15:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched/psi: Shut down rtpoll_timer in psi_cgroup_free() psi_schedule_rtpoll_work() is called locklessly from the scheduler hotpath and can race psi_trigger_destroy() taking down the last rtpoll trigger under rtpoll_trigger_lock: psi_schedule_rtpoll_work() psi_trigger_destroy() rcu_read_lock(); task = rcu_dereference(rtpoll_task); rcu_assign_pointer(rtpoll_task, NULL); timer_delete(&rtpoll_timer); mod_timer(&rtpoll_timer, ...); rcu_read_unlock(); synchronize_rcu(); kthread_stop(task_to_destroy); The group can then be freed with the re-armed timer still pending, and poll_timer_fn() runs on freed memory. 461daba06bdc ("psi: eliminate kthread_worker from psi trigger scheduling mechanism") deleted the timer synchronously after the synchronize_rcu(), which prevented this but raced trigger creation instead: the deletion could cancel the timer that a new trigger set armed during the grace period and, as creation also reinitialized the timer at the time, corrupt it. 8f91efd870ea ("psi: Fix race between psi_trigger_create/destroy") moved the initialization into group_init() and the deletion into the locked section, trading the creation races for the window above. Neither placement in the destruction path works. A pending timer firing while the group is alive is harmless though. poll_timer_fn() just wakes the rtpoll waitqueue and doesn't re-arm itself. Bind the timer to the group's lifetime instead and shut it down in psi_cgroup_free(). Nothing can arm it by then. timer_shutdown_sync() because the timer is never armed again. | |
| Title | sched/psi: Shut down rtpoll_timer in psi_cgroup_free() | |
| 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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Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-08-22T15:31:44.894Z
Reserved: 2026-08-15T05:44:03.919Z
Link: CVE-2026-74594
No data.
No data.
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses
No weakness.