CVE-2026-89791Hinoki check available

Local privilege escalation via perf mmap race

Published Sep 16, 2026 · Updated Sep 16, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux kernel 6.18 perf mmap handling allows local users to gain root privileges by racing mmap() with the last munmap(). The perf_mmap_close() path decrements rb->mmap_count without event->mmap_mutex, letting perf_mmap_rb() replace the ring buffer before teardown frees the newly mapped buffer. An unprivileged local user can reach the race with the default kernel.perf_event_paranoid=2 setting; exploitation grants root access.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Linux kernel 6.18 perf mmap handling allows local users to gain root privileges by racing mmap() with the last munmap(). The perf_mmap_close() path decrements rb->mmap_count without event->mmap_mutex, letting perf_mmap_rb() replace the ring buffer before teardown frees the newly mapped buffer. An unprivileged local user can reach the race with the default kernel.perf_event_paranoid=2 setting; exploitation grants root access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-89791
Published
Sep 16, 2026
Updated
Sep 16, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 16, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=59741451b49ce9964a9758c19d6f7df2a1255c75 <0c739f54f1c77f3a4643160cd2e031b6c2f2aab6
  2. Affected versionversion=59741451b49ce9964a9758c19d6f7df2a1255c75 <58a8108bc73de0740d5b88150465d6690ea5f85f
  3. Affected versionversion=59741451b49ce9964a9758c19d6f7df2a1255c75 <929cb3b9dc818dd9fa89d510d4ff2b255e42badd
  4. Affected versionversion=6.18

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=59741451b49ce9964a9758c19d6f7df2a1255c75 <0c739f54f1c77f3a4643160cd2e031b6c2f2aab6; version=59741451b49ce9964a9758c19d6f7df2a1255c75 <58a8108bc73de0740d5b88150465d6690ea5f85f; version=59741451b49ce9964a9758c19d6f7df2a1255c75 <929cb3b9dc818dd9fa89d510d4ff2b255e42badd; version=6.18

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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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