# CVE-2026-23248: perf/core: Fix refcount bug and potential UAF in perf_mmap CVE-2026-23248 is fixed in 36 products on 1 platform, first by DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23248, released March 18, 2026. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: High. - Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-23248 - Priority: High - CVSS: 7.8 (Moderate) - EPSS: 0.0013 - CISA KEV: not listed - Exploited (vendor report): no - Publicly disclosed: no - Published: Mar 18, 2026 - Vendor advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-23248 ## Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/core: Fix refcount bug and potential UAF in perf_mmap Syzkaller reported a refcount_t: addition on 0; use-after-free warning in perf_mmap. The issue is caused by a race condition between a failing mmap() setup and a concurrent mmap() on a dependent event (e.g., using output redirection). In perf_mmap(), the ring_buffer (rb) is allocated and assigned to event->rb with the mmap_mutex held. The mutex is then released to perform map_range(). If map_range() fails, perf_mmap_close() is called to clean up. However, since the mutex was dropped, another thread attaching to this event (via inherited events or output redirection) can acquire the mutex, observe the valid event->rb pointer, and attempt to increment its reference count. If the cleanup path has already dropped the reference count to zero, this results in a use-after-free or refcount saturation warning. Fix this by extending the scope of mmap_mutex to cover the map_range() call. This ensures that the ring buffer initialization and mapping (or cleanup on failure) happens atomically effectively, preventing other threads from accessing a half-initialized or dying ring buffer. ## Where it's fixed | Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released | |---|---|---|---|---| | Linux | bpftool6.18 amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | bpftool6.18-debuginfo amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | dtb-aarch64 opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-64kb opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-64kb sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:22835-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-22835-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-azure opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-azure sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:22835-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-22835-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-default opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-default sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:22835-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-22835-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-default-base opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1.160000.2.17 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-default-base sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1.160000.2.17 | [SUSE-SU-2026:22835-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-22835-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-docs opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-docs sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:22835-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-22835-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-kvmsmall opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-kvmsmall sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:22835-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-22835-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-livepatch-6.18.20-20.229 amzn 2023 | 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-obs-build opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-obs-qa opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-obs-qa sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:22835-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-22835-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-rt opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-source opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-source sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:22835-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-22835-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-syms opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-syms sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:22835-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-22835-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-zfcpdump opensuse-leap 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [OPENSUSE-SU-2026:21388-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/opensuse-su-2026-21388-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel-zfcpdump sles 16.0 | 6.12.0-160000.36.1 | [SUSE-SU-2026:22835-1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/suse-su-2026-22835-1.md) | Jul 21, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18 amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-debuginfo amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-debuginfo-common-aarch64 amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-debuginfo-common-x86_64 amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-devel amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-headers amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-libbpf amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-libbpf-debuginfo amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-libbpf-devel amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-libbpf-static amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-modules-extra amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-modules-extra-common amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-tools amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-tools-debuginfo amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | kernel6.18-tools-devel amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | linux Debian 14 | 6.19.8-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23248](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2026-23248.md) | Mar 18, 2026 | | Linux | perf6.18 amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | perf6.18-debuginfo amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | python3-perf6.18 amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | | Linux | python3-perf6.18-debuginfo amzn 2023 | 1:6.18.20-20.229.amzn2023 | [ALAS2023-2026-1596](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/alas2023-2026-1596.md) | Apr 27, 2026 | --- Data as of 2026-11-08T13:06:02Z UTC. 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