CPU hang via foreign-CPU kick_sync callback
Published Sep 24, 2026 · Updated Sep 24, 2026
Linux sched_ext 6.19 contains a deadlock that allows attackers to hang a CPU via synchronous cross-CPU scheduler kicks. The kick_sync_wait_bal_cb() callback can run on a foreign CPU and compare unrelated per-CPU snapshots while waiting with the runqueue lock dropped, deadlocking when that CPU is also a wait target. Exposure requires sched_ext support and a loaded BPF scheduler, plus timing that flushes a queued balance callback on a different CPU.
Summary
What happened
Linux sched_ext 6.19 contains a deadlock that allows attackers to hang a CPU via synchronous cross-CPU scheduler kicks. The kick_sync_wait_bal_cb() callback can run on a foreign CPU and compare unrelated per-CPU snapshots while waiting with the runqueue lock dropped, deadlocking when that CPU is also a wait target. Exposure requires sched_ext support and a loaded BPF scheduler, plus timing that flushes a queued balance callback on a different CPU.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-93220
- Published
- Sep 24, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 24, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 24, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 24, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=4c95380701f58b8112f0b891de8d160e4199e19d <c736ea0fe7b4df920da6bd43a81c5eeecadcc8be
- Affected versionversion=4c95380701f58b8112f0b891de8d160e4199e19d <e0253dd04beb03e79477c5ef4768b11135687206
- Affected versionversion=6.19
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
Your stack
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