Kernel panic via unprotected BPF load-acquire
Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 17, 2026
Linux 6.15 BPF verifier fault-protection bypass allows local users to panic the kernel via crafted load-acquire instructions. The verifier leaves BPF_LOAD_ACQ accesses to pointers requiring fault protection unprotected, so the JIT emits a load without an exception-table entry; accessing a kernel thread's null mm pointer then faults. Exploitation requires privileges to load the relevant BPF program and interrupts the host through a kernel panic.
Summary
What happened
Linux 6.15 BPF verifier fault-protection bypass allows local users to panic the kernel via crafted load-acquire instructions. The verifier leaves BPF_LOAD_ACQ accesses to pointers requiring fault protection unprotected, so the JIT emits a load without an exception-table entry; accessing a kernel thread's null mm pointer then faults. Exploitation requires privileges to load the relevant BPF program and interrupts the host through a kernel panic.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-90269
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 17, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=6.15
- Affected versionversion=880442305a3908589bf4d6fc1d79edb577ee497c <5f8ade6e9b7931fc9697394f1b2c4ae833f5ac18
- Affected versionversion=880442305a3908589bf4d6fc1d79edb577ee497c <7db0a00445f1a40bacfe9b747405c11cb5f10fc9
- Affected versionversion=880442305a3908589bf4d6fc1d79edb577ee497c <c4c8de3bf48d3756ab0f910fe5cc4937d70efdcd
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
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
- Upstream sched_switch BPF panic reproducer fragmentproof of concept · unverified
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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