CVE-2026-97921

tracing: Free histogram the field rejected for a bad modifier

CVE-2026-97921 is fixed in 37 products on 1 platform, first by DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97921, released September 29, 2026. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: Routine.

Routine
CVSS
5.5
Moderate
Exploitation
None reported
No vendor assessment
CISA KEV
Not listed
Not in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
EPSS
0.0021
11th percentile

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Free histogram the field rejected for a bad modifier Writing a hist trigger whose value or variable carries a modifier that is not allowed there leaks the fields that were built for it. __create_val_field() takes the field from parse_expr() and stores it in hist_data->fields[] only after the modifier checks have run: hist_field = parse_expr(hist_data, file, field_str, flags, var_name, &n_subexprs); ... if (hist_field->flags & HIST_FIELD_FL_VAR) { if (hist_field->flags & (...)) goto err; } else { if (hist_field->flags & (...)) goto err; } hist_data->fields[val_idx] = hist_field; Both checks jump past that store, and the err label returns without freeing anything. The error unwinds to create_hist_data(), which calls destroy_hist_data() -> destroy_hist_fields(), and that reaches a field only by walking fields[]. A field that never got there is unreachable. commit e0213434fe3e ("tracing: Do not let histogram values have some modifiers") set ret to -EINVAL and fell through to the store, which left the field owned by fields[] and freed along with the rest of hist_data. Splitting the check into a value case and a variable case replaced that fall-through with a goto that skips it. With CONFIG_DEBUG_KMEMLEAK, 200 writes of # echo 'hist:keys=prev_pid:vals=next_pid.log2' > \ events/sched/sched_switch/trigger each correctly rejected with -EINVAL, leave 332 unreferenced objects (63744 bytes) reported at create_hist_field(); 200 install and remove cycles of a valid trigger leave none. A '.log2' field is two allocations, since create_hist_field() puts the plain field in operands[0] of the log2 field, and both are reported. Use destroy_hist_field() rather than __destroy_hist_field() so that operands[0] is freed as well. It returns early for HIST_FIELD_FL_VAR_REF, which is what an operand owned by hist_data->var_refs[] needs; the rejected field itself is never a var ref, because a var ref never carries a modifier flag.

Where it's fixed

ProductFixed inFixReleased
Linux
kernel-uek · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-core · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-core · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-core · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-core · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-devel · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-devel · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-core · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-core · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-deprecated · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-deprecated · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-desktop · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-desktop · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-extra · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-extra · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-extra-netfilter · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-extra-netfilter · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-usb · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-usb · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-wireless · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-wireless · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-devel · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-devel · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-doc · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-doc · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-core · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-core · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-deprecated · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-deprecated · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-desktop · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-desktop · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-extra · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-extra · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-extra-netfilter · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-extra-netfilter · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-usb · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-usb · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-wireless · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-wireless · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-tools · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek-tools · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-core · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-core · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-devel · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-devel · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-core · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-core · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-deprecated · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-deprecated · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-desktop · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-desktop · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-extra · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-extra · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-extra-netfilter · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-extra-netfilter · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-usb · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-usb · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-wireless · ol 10 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-wireless · ol 9 0:6.12.0-207.111.5.1.el9uek ELSA-2026-500374 Oct 7, 2026
linux · Debian 12.15 (bookworm) 6.1.190-1 DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97921 Sep 29, 2026
linux · Debian 13.5 (trixie) 6.12.111-1 DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97921 Sep 29, 2026
linux · Debian 14 7.2.7-1 DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97921 Sep 29, 2026
linux-6.12 · Debian 12.15 (bookworm) 6.12.111-1~deb12u1 DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97921 Sep 29, 2026

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