Kernel crash via unsuspended spare-reconfiguration race
Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 17, 2026
A race in the Linux 6.7 md driver allows local users to crash the kernel via spare replacement concurrent with RAID10 writes. md_start_sync() checks device state before acquiring reconfig_mutex, allowing stale results to authorize device replacement without suspending ongoing I/O. The documented race requires an md array undergoing spare changes during writes and reaches a NULL pointer in rdev_dec_pending(); attacker control over that timing is not documented.
Summary
What happened
A race in the Linux 6.7 md driver allows local users to crash the kernel via spare replacement concurrent with RAID10 writes. md_start_sync() checks device state before acquiring reconfig_mutex, allowing stale results to authorize device replacement without suspending ongoing I/O. The documented race requires an md array undergoing spare changes during writes and reaches a NULL pointer in rdev_dec_pending(); attacker control over that timing is not documented.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-90400
- 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
Present is not the same as exploitable
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- Affected versionversion=6.7
- Affected versionversion=bc08041b32abe6c9824f78735bac22018eabfc06 <81b39df5d701976cf20e52f33106c1fc1603b4cb
- Affected versionversion=bc08041b32abe6c9824f78735bac22018eabfc06 <c3777d16bc3335c0ac4bdad0551c80d38c5d94cc
- Affected versionversion=bc08041b32abe6c9824f78735bac22018eabfc06 <c7d34d17ea43ebc86b45d439ebb435e11ca44bca
- Affected versionversion=bc08041b32abe6c9824f78735bac22018eabfc06 <e5ac7ab78467b064f1da8b0f3042a63595fafcfd
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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