CPU hangs via deferred hardlockup recovery
Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 17, 2026
Failed hardlockup recovery in Linux sched_ext 7.1 allows local users to prolong CPU hangs via deferred scheduler aborts. The scx_hardlockup() handler queues irq_work that cannot run on a hard-locked CPU with interrupts disabled, leaving the scheduler unaborted, and reports success even when aborting is refused. Exposure requires a loaded BPF scheduler and a hardlockup; the published assessment requires high local privileges, and the documented consequence is failed recovery with suppressed hardlockup reporting.
Summary
What happened
Failed hardlockup recovery in Linux sched_ext 7.1 allows local users to prolong CPU hangs via deferred scheduler aborts. The scx_hardlockup() handler queues irq_work that cannot run on a hard-locked CPU with interrupts disabled, leaving the scheduler unaborted, and reports success even when aborting is refused. Exposure requires a loaded BPF scheduler and a hardlockup; the published assessment requires high local privileges, and the documented consequence is failed recovery with suppressed hardlockup reporting.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-90432
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 17, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- 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=7.1
- Affected versionversion=bd2d76455b65aab77652823919db128a8e585825 <3c4b38064937a761ebbf85b1649e812db85eb59e
- Affected versionversion=bd2d76455b65aab77652823919db128a8e585825 <4d6270bbb4e083a4d2d39f3c36f30f5c939c06ed
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
No sourced classifications are available.
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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