Kernel code execution via freed BPF trampoline
Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 18, 2026
Use-after-free in the BPF trampoline path in Linux 7.2 through 7.2.5 allows local users to execute code in the host kernel. On a failed bpf_trampoline_update(), bpf_trampoline_multi_attach_free() frees old_image even though cur_image still points to it and ftrace continues invoking it. Exploitation requires CAP_BPF and CAP_PERFMON, a second fentry program on the same function, and an induced allocation failure; reuse of the freed JIT pages enables arbitrary kernel reads, writes, or a panic.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the BPF trampoline path in Linux 7.2 through 7.2.5 allows local users to execute code in the host kernel. On a failed bpf_trampoline_update(), bpf_trampoline_multi_attach_free() frees old_image even though cur_image still points to it and ftrace continues invoking it. Exploitation requires CAP_BPF and CAP_PERFMON, a second fentry program on the same function, and an induced allocation failure; reuse of the freed JIT pages enables arbitrary kernel reads, writes, or a panic.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-90210
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 18, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 18, 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=7.2
- Affected versionversion=aef4dfa790b22d8052cfb78044eadbe03c876c39 <0253073fb7d79a2dd2eae9581ea16db2aef395a6
- Affected versionversion=aef4dfa790b22d8052cfb78044eadbe03c876c39 <65c3939656fd7848e9274faa07c26748b5bf049c
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
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