CVE-2026-90072

Local soft lockup via SFQ quantum overflow

Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 17, 2026

Integer overflow in Linux SFQ allows local users to cause a kernel soft lockup via an oversized network-interface MTU. In net/sched/sch_sfq.c, sfq_init() copies the unsigned psched_mtu() result into an unclamped quantum, causing signed allotment overflow and an endless sfq_dequeue() refill loop under the qdisc lock; a zero quantum also prevents termination. Exploitation requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in a user namespace and a suitable interface MTU, interrupting kernel scheduling without a reported data-access impact.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Integer overflow in Linux SFQ allows local users to cause a kernel soft lockup via an oversized network-interface MTU. In net/sched/sch_sfq.c, sfq_init() copies the unsigned psched_mtu() result into an unclamped quantum, causing signed allotment overflow and an endless sfq_dequeue() refill loop under the qdisc lock; a zero quantum also prevents termination. Exploitation requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in a user namespace and a suitable interface MTU, interrupting kernel scheduling without a reported data-access impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-90072
Published
Sep 17, 2026
Updated
Sep 17, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2017c355a5a1af77736cd1739fe922f69b5652dc
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6581a82bf08ba5d4e2a6d4e3080df43315b296c4
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <816e90057ab1879562a5b7cc688e35bb9027ae97
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <86799499585af06a9431c9e7782658667bd62650
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9d782c662879c3adaaca30e05c36910ad11b9e54
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <aeb8196ecb95146e3410f635628e6cd47352b3e5
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d72dbdfaeb5b9b8d884e0e036c3442754379ef74
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <da16c31517cd2c06bb2c78c73e91ae192c01c426
  9. Affected versionversion=2.6.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <2017c355a5a1af77736cd1739fe922f69b5652dc; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6581a82bf08ba5d4e2a6d4e3080df43315b296c4; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <816e90057ab1879562a5b7cc688e35bb9027ae97; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <86799499585af06a9431c9e7782658667bd62650; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9d782c662879c3adaaca30e05c36910ad11b9e54; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <aeb8196ecb95146e3410f635628e6cd47352b3e5; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <d72dbdfaeb5b9b8d884e0e036c3442754379ef74; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <da16c31517cd2c06bb2c78c73e91ae192c01c426; version=2.6.12

Published CVSS scores

5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

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No observations available

Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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