CPU hardlockup via repeated scheduler self-IPIs
Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026
Denial of service in the Linux kernel real-time scheduler allows local users to trigger a CPU hardlockup through RT load balancing. In rto_next_cpu(), a loop-generation mismatch restarts the CPU search at -1 and reselects the initiating overloaded CPU, which queues irq_work to itself and repeats self-IPIs indefinitely. The path requires HAVE_RT_PUSH_IPI and a specific multicore workload with one overloaded CPU while other CPUs invoke pull_rt_tasks(); continuous self-interrupts then stop that CPU from making progress.
Summary
What happened
Denial of service in the Linux kernel real-time scheduler allows local users to trigger a CPU hardlockup through RT load balancing. In rto_next_cpu(), a loop-generation mismatch restarts the CPU search at -1 and reselects the initiating overloaded CPU, which queues irq_work to itself and repeats self-IPIs indefinitely. The path requires HAVE_RT_PUSH_IPI and a specific multicore workload with one overloaded CPU while other CPUs invoke pull_rt_tasks(); continuous self-interrupts then stop that CPU from making progress.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-45919
- Published
- May 27, 2026
- Updated
- May 27, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- CWE-835, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 27, 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=1c37ff78298a6b6063649123356a312e1cce12ca
- Affected versionversion=4.14.3 <4.15
- Affected versionversion=4.15
- Affected versionversion=4.4.103 <4.5
- Affected versionversion=4.9.66 <4.10
- Affected versionversion=4bdced5c9a2922521e325896a7bbbf0132c94e56 <16ca9f3117e9a294646c897daf08a5ab546c711b
- Affected versionversion=4bdced5c9a2922521e325896a7bbbf0132c94e56 <3b3c672a66db3de3b40f8a7057864bc1f874ede3
- Affected versionversion=4bdced5c9a2922521e325896a7bbbf0132c94e56 <52aeb1e07ec223caf212f036817976c98d2aa250
- Affected versionversion=4bdced5c9a2922521e325896a7bbbf0132c94e56 <8ad5577b2d4acfd83f03d97a0aece2d18aac5f07
- Affected versionversion=4bdced5c9a2922521e325896a7bbbf0132c94e56 <94894c9c477e53bcea052e075c53f89df3d2a33e
- Affected versionversion=4bdced5c9a2922521e325896a7bbbf0132c94e56 <9f25edc5a20cb52a5abbf25f0724bb4732b81801
- Affected versionversion=4bdced5c9a2922521e325896a7bbbf0132c94e56 <a6a73403733e86748421f2eeaf028c85683ef896
- Affected versionversion=4bdced5c9a2922521e325896a7bbbf0132c94e56 <d57d0746276a88ea43a2cc62b849fd8a95e32e41
- Affected versionversion=cb1831a83e54cd3269a2420fce81c4fd8ae6f667
- Affected versionversion=f17c786b28a3060a566a170c2cf3bd7441fc30a3
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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