Local privilege escalation via perf event use-after-free
Published Oct 21, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in perf in Linux 5.15.77 through 5.15.83 and 6.0.7 through 6.0.13 allows local users to execute kernel code. perf_pending_task() can run after its perf_event is freed because queued task_work outlives event teardown, and teardown can itself queue that work. Low-privilege access to perf_event_open() for self-monitoring is sufficient; reclaiming the freed object enables kernel reads, writes, code execution, or a kernel panic.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in perf in Linux 5.15.77 through 5.15.83 and 6.0.7 through 6.0.13 allows local users to execute kernel code. perf_pending_task() can run after its perf_event is freed because queued task_work outlives event teardown, and teardown can itself queue that work. Low-privilege access to perf_event_open() for self-monitoring is sufficient; reclaiming the freed object enables kernel reads, writes, code execution, or a kernel panic.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-48950
- Published
- Oct 21, 2024
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 21, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=078c12ccf1fb943cc18c84894c76113dc89e5975 <78e1317a174edbfd1182599bf76c092a2877672c
- Affected versionversion=5.15.77 <5.15.84
- Affected versionversion=6.0.7 <6.0.14
- Affected versionversion=ca6c21327c6af02b7eec31ce4b9a740a18c6c13f <517e6a301f34613bff24a8e35b5455884f2d83d8
- Affected versionversion=ca7b0a10287e2733bdafb01ef0d4038536625fe3 <8bffa95ac19ff27c8261904f89d36c7fcf215d59
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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