CVE-2026-97922

tracing: Free histogram var refs regardless of how often they are referenced

CVE-2026-97922 is fixed in 37 products on 1 platform, first by DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97922, released September 29, 2026. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: Routine.

Routine
CVSS
6.7
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 var refs regardless of how often they are referenced Using the same variable three or more times in one hist trigger leaks the variable reference and its strings when the trigger is removed. commit 656fe2ba85e8 ("tracing: Use hist trigger's var_ref array to destroy var_refs") made a trigger's var_refs[] array the only owner of a var ref: destroy_hist_field() returns early for HIST_FIELD_FL_VAR_REF, so the field expressions never destroy one. One entry, freed once, no count needed. commit 8bcebc77e85f ("tracing: Fix histogram code when expression has same var as value") then made repeated references share one object and added a count of them. Only the increment side exists, since those expressions still return early and never drop a reference, so __destroy_hist_field() sees how many references were created rather than how many are left. It frees when the decremented count is 0 or 1, so two references work and three or more leak. Sharing kept one array entry per object, and create_var_ref() searches and appends within a single trigger, so nothing outside it holds the object. Removing a trigger whose variables are still referenced is already refused by check_var_refs() with -EBUSY. Drop the count and free unconditionally.

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-2026-97922 Sep 29, 2026
linux · Debian 13.5 (trixie) 6.12.111-1 DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97922 Sep 29, 2026
linux · Debian 14 7.2.7-1 DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97922 Sep 29, 2026
linux-6.12 · Debian 12.15 (bookworm) 6.12.111-1~deb12u1 DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97922 Sep 29, 2026

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