CVE-2026-68421: sched_ext: Don't warn on core-sched forced idle in put_prev_task_scx()

Severity: unknown
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-08-10 · updated 2026-10-21

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched_ext: Don't warn on core-sched forced idle in put_prev_task_scx() put_prev_task_scx() warns when a runnable task drops to a lower sched_class without SCX_OPS_ENQ_LAST, on the assumption that balance_one() would have kept it running. Core scheduling breaks that: a forced-idle SMT sibling reschedules through the core_pick fast path in pick_next_task(), which skips pick_task_scx() and thus balance_one(), so a runnable task can drop to idle with ENQ_LAST unset. Gate the warning on sched_cpu_cookie_match(): a cookie mismatch means core scheduling forced the idle, while a match (or core scheduling off) still catches a genuine missing-ENQ_LAST drop.

Affected products

Linux kernel: 6.12 — fixed in 7.2

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 7.2. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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