Kernel panic via unprotected tracing field list
Published Aug 22, 2026 · Updated Aug 22, 2026
Race condition in Linux kernel tracing allows privileged local users to crash the kernel by loading modules concurrently. trace_event_update_all iterates class->fields without event_mutex while event_define_fields adds entries to the same list. Triggering the race requires CAP_SYS_MODULE and concurrent module loads; the resulting panic interrupts all service on the host.
Summary
What happened
Race condition in Linux kernel tracing allows privileged local users to crash the kernel by loading modules concurrently. trace_event_update_all iterates class->fields without event_mutex while event_define_fields adds entries to the same list. Triggering the race requires CAP_SYS_MODULE and concurrent module loads; the resulting panic interrupts all service on the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-74636
- Published
- Aug 22, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 22, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-362, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 22, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 22, 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=0c53a5c80e6e286733381a1d9f255ba4039e2e45
- Affected versionversion=5.15.33 <5.15.216
- Affected versionversion=5.16.19 <5.17
- Affected versionversion=5.17.2 <5.18
- Affected versionversion=5.18
- Affected versionversion=55defdf935fab9f2989a197aae1042c082d9a343
- Affected versionversion=7c6bd60999f32138e3b73fd97ea11ef47a94de25 <4e39f7b4d9d36508c53e89e6cbc640728df870b5
- Affected versionversion=b3bc8547d3be60898818885f5bf22d0a62e2eb48 <a30d421468300b1e7b2f233136aeb2db8013f555
- Affected versionversion=b3bc8547d3be60898818885f5bf22d0a62e2eb48 <c3730b8373bb5059d735509b9e6a00d7eb337d7c
- Affected versionversion=b3bc8547d3be60898818885f5bf22d0a62e2eb48 <e5f1d301b4bdaa4206db251fdc691f623162b0a8
- Affected versionversion=b3bc8547d3be60898818885f5bf22d0a62e2eb48 <ed49684e69f846bf50b5050651ccdb87cfd152c0
- Affected versionversion=b3bc8547d3be60898818885f5bf22d0a62e2eb48 <f128740f39ab28d1f4ad5bdd10f3e117eec0c374
- Affected versionversion=b3bc8547d3be60898818885f5bf22d0a62e2eb48 <fdeb190b0905a6aaed1e5d6adfb8613214748d7d
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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