CVE-2026-97933

Kernel crash via freed tracer-option descriptor

Published Sep 25, 2026 · Updated Sep 25, 2026

A use-after-free in Linux kernel tracing in affected versions allows local users with tracefs access to crash the kernel. The tracer-option open path dereferences an inode-private descriptor before safely acquiring its trace_array reference, so concurrent instance removal can free that descriptor first. Triggering the race requires one task to open an option file while an administrator removes its tracing instance; the established consequence is a kernel crash.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A use-after-free in Linux kernel tracing in affected versions allows local users with tracefs access to crash the kernel. The tracer-option open path dereferences an inode-private descriptor before safely acquiring its trace_array reference, so concurrent instance removal can free that descriptor first. Triggering the race requires one task to open an option file while an administrator removes its tracing instance; the established consequence is a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-97933
Published
Sep 25, 2026
Updated
Sep 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1529
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=2617afde0c3db285778734b0ccad9a55b4f9cda2
  2. Affected versionversion=5.10.197 <5.11
  3. Affected versionversion=5.15.133 <5.16
  4. Affected versionversion=5.4.257 <5.5
  5. Affected versionversion=586787a0331aa2d7d244e9c4400d2a73295b0cf0
  6. Affected versionversion=6.1.55 <6.2
  7. Affected versionversion=6.5.5 <6.6
  8. Affected versionversion=6.6
  9. Affected versionversion=7e2cfbd2d3c86afcd5c26b5c4b1dd251f63c5838 <b2fb87d29ffb3a7a9ccc5acf12898ecb80587427
  10. Affected versionversion=7e2cfbd2d3c86afcd5c26b5c4b1dd251f63c5838 <ed0aff60f83a9bdc2f6556376ac79c96b3ce7e80
  11. Affected versionversion=952e477f908048145a5eb2ed3d431d9efc1e1073
  12. Affected versionversion=b3183f5f05cd867f5c17122773ca5aa8d07b51af
  13. Affected versionversion=bf38c1d29f8bfe9631b62a67f8dd1b8f7efb7139

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2617afde0c3db285778734b0ccad9a55b4f9cda2; version=5.10.197 <5.11; version=5.15.133 <5.16; version=5.4.257 <5.5; version=586787a0331aa2d7d244e9c4400d2a73295b0cf0; version=6.1.55 <6.2; version=6.5.5 <6.6; version=6.6; version=7e2cfbd2d3c86afcd5c26b5c4b1dd251f63c5838 <b2fb87d29ffb3a7a9ccc5acf12898ecb80587427; version=7e2cfbd2d3c86afcd5c26b5c4b1dd251f63c5838 <ed0aff60f83a9bdc2f6556376ac79c96b3ce7e80; version=952e477f908048145a5eb2ed3d431d9efc1e1073; version=b3183f5f05cd867f5c17122773ca5aa8d07b51af; version=bf38c1d29f8bfe9631b62a67f8dd1b8f7efb7139

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1529System Shutdown/Reboot

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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