Kernel faults via hard-IRQ timer locking
Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 17, 2026
Incorrect timer locking in Linux 7.1 allows local users to trigger kernel faults via CPU timer expiry on ARM PREEMPT_RT systems. arch/arm/Kconfig omits HAVE_POSIX_CPU_TIMERS_TASK_WORK, leaving run_posix_cpu_timers() to acquire the sleeping sighand->siglock in hard IRQ context. The trigger requires a 32-bit ARM kernel with PREEMPT_RT enabled; the disclosure reports an invalid-context sleeping diagnostic, not a specific crash or hang.
Summary
What happened
Incorrect timer locking in Linux 7.1 allows local users to trigger kernel faults via CPU timer expiry on ARM PREEMPT_RT systems. arch/arm/Kconfig omits HAVE_POSIX_CPU_TIMERS_TASK_WORK, leaving run_posix_cpu_timers() to acquire the sleeping sighand->siglock in hard IRQ context. The trigger requires a 32-bit ARM kernel with PREEMPT_RT enabled; the disclosure reports an invalid-context sleeping diagnostic, not a specific crash or hang.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-90305
- 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
- Sep 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 17, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=7.1
- Affected versionversion=c6e61c06d6061750597e79c598acb5dead44c35b <8a58a41100ea377e978d99600ec24a9bd0273662
- Affected versionversion=c6e61c06d6061750597e79c598acb5dead44c35b <8de56782d6e5ba7a9f8c820342dccde65502f93f
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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