CVE-2026-89749

Kernel crash via unchecked thread creation failure

Published Sep 11, 2026 · Updated Sep 11, 2026

A pointer-validation flaw in Linux tracing event self-tests allows attackers to crash the kernel under boot-time memory pressure. event_test_stuff() passes the error pointer returned by a failed kthread_run() call to kthread_stop(), which dereferences it as a task structure. Triggering requires startup event self-tests plus a thread-creation failure, such as under boot-time memory pressure; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A pointer-validation flaw in Linux tracing event self-tests allows attackers to crash the kernel under boot-time memory pressure. event_test_stuff() passes the error pointer returned by a failed kthread_run() call to kthread_stop(), which dereferences it as a task structure. Triggering requires startup event self-tests plus a thread-creation failure, such as under boot-time memory pressure; the bounded consequence is a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-89749
Published
Sep 11, 2026
Updated
Sep 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 11, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=2.6.31
  2. Affected versionversion=e6187007d6c365b551c69ea3df46f06fd1c8bd19 <12a499f741fc5be3731c8b0a0d909406575cc2eb
  3. Affected versionversion=e6187007d6c365b551c69ea3df46f06fd1c8bd19 <649bc7df3e5d7be6f7996a95084037dbf3cad1e5
  4. Affected versionversion=e6187007d6c365b551c69ea3df46f06fd1c8bd19 <adadf4192f700bca82abfda9fa6d58c0bf37cc04
  5. Affected versionversion=e6187007d6c365b551c69ea3df46f06fd1c8bd19 <c40e0b4fa365969e67011529eabdfb66d1022256

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.31; version=e6187007d6c365b551c69ea3df46f06fd1c8bd19 <12a499f741fc5be3731c8b0a0d909406575cc2eb; version=e6187007d6c365b551c69ea3df46f06fd1c8bd19 <649bc7df3e5d7be6f7996a95084037dbf3cad1e5; version=e6187007d6c365b551c69ea3df46f06fd1c8bd19 <adadf4192f700bca82abfda9fa6d58c0bf37cc04; version=e6187007d6c365b551c69ea3df46f06fd1c8bd19 <c40e0b4fa365969e67011529eabdfb66d1022256

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

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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