CVE-2026-74636: tracing: Fix race between update_event_fields and, event_define_fields

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: 2026-08-22 · updated 2026-10-14

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Fix race between update_event_fields and, event_define_fields The following sequence may leads race between event_define_fields() and update_event_fields(): CPU0 (loads module A) CPU1 (loads module B) =============================== =============================== load_module(A) load_module(B) notifier_call_chain notifier_call_chain trace_module_notify trace_module_notify mutex_lock(&event_mutex) trace_event_update_all() trace_module_add_events(A) down_write(&trace_event_sem) __register_event(call_A) __add_event_to_tracers(call_A) event_define_fields(call_A) for each f: list_for_each_entry(field, list_add(&f->link, &class->fields, link) &class->fields) field = class->fields->next; Where access to the class->fields is not protected by the event_mutex in trace_event_update_all(). This produces the following panic: Unable to handle kernel access ... at virtual address 0000000000000018 pc : update_event_fields+0xf8/0x368 Call trace: update_event_fields+0xf8/0x368 trace_event_update_all+0x7c/0x2b4 trace_module_notify+0x4c/0x1dc notifier_call_chain+0x84/0x168 blocking_notifier_call_chain_robust+0x64/0xd4 load_module+0x10c8/0x123c __arm64_sys_finit_module+0x230/0x31c Fix by taking event_mutex in trace_event_update_all() before trace_event_sem.

Affected products

Linux kernel: from 5.15.33 before 5.15.216; from 5.16.19 before 5.17; from 5.17.2 before 5.18; 5.18 — fixed in 5.15.216, 5.17, 5.18, 7.2

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 5.15.216, 5.17, 5.18, 7.2. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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