keys: Protect the type name while describing a key

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: keys: Protect the type name while describing a key keyctl_describe_key() must keep the key type's name alive until kasprintf() has consumed it. The retained key reference keeps the key and its description alive, but does not pin the module providing its type. The name is passed to kasprintf() without holding key->sem. kvasprintf() uses the saved name pointer in two formatting passes, with a GFP_KERNEL allocation between them. With AF_RXRPC=m, a task that passes View permission before type retirement can overlap a privileged module unload in this order: 1. KEYCTL_DESCRIBE looks up the key, saves key->type->name in the kasprintf() arguments and completes the first formatting pass. 2. While the formatter is delayed before its second pass, af_rxrpc_exit() calls unregister_key_type(), which removes the type from the registry and waits for key_gc_keytype(). 3. The collector takes key->sem for writing, retypes the retained key to key_type_dead and completes retirement. Unregistration and module exit return, allowing free_module() to release the type and name. 4. The formatter resumes its second pass and reads the saved name from released module storage, which can fault in string(). Hold key->sem for reading across kasprintf(). The collector then cannot retype the key or complete retirement until both formatting passes have finished. If retirement wins the lock first, formatting uses the core key_type_dead name instead. Release the semaphore immediately after kasprintf(), including on allocation failure, before copying to userspace. Oops report as below: BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: fffffbfff8054794 #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page RIP: 0010:string+0x23f/0x470 Call Trace: vsnprintf+0x330/0x1110

Timeline

Scores

EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)

0.12% · top 98% of all CVEs (7 Nov 2026)

The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 7.0.

Affected products

• Linux · Linux

  • affected aa9d4437893f7e015ce5b6d6c443a9ba92c8a2e7 – < 19c4de819e52b7f606468fbfe4fcef4e812e2777
  • affected aa9d4437893f7e015ce5b6d6c443a9ba92c8a2e7 – < a49e6c9a1a5b3457c946a8efb616ce13b4ca8194
  • affected aa9d4437893f7e015ce5b6d6c443a9ba92c8a2e7 – < 916667df7695366f23cfaf365b5840b228cc4b2e
  • affected aa9d4437893f7e015ce5b6d6c443a9ba92c8a2e7 – < dddd3a1ab7d12ee163477918ff6eb943361db4fe
  • affected aa9d4437893f7e015ce5b6d6c443a9ba92c8a2e7 – < 3c3cfd9e262afc9558c38f8cec57f09d10988546
  • affected aa9d4437893f7e015ce5b6d6c443a9ba92c8a2e7 – < 6b613747f7ea309ada5b8d05b55398c338f7a968
  • affected aa9d4437893f7e015ce5b6d6c443a9ba92c8a2e7 – < dea367df18e3a4faac393e3a4e818ee03af89b19
  • affected aa9d4437893f7e015ce5b6d6c443a9ba92c8a2e7 – < 0461bc8f91116aae4a020e15f4e1c1fd535ab35e
  • affected aa9d4437893f7e015ce5b6d6c443a9ba92c8a2e7 – < fced7238b7e80cf8aa688d5af976e4aa6e33c329

• Linux · Linux

  • affected 3.18
  • unaffected < 3.18
  • unaffected 5.10.273 – ≤ 5.10.*
  • unaffected 5.15.224 – ≤ 5.15.*
  • unaffected 6.1.191 – ≤ 6.1.*
  • unaffected 6.6.161 – ≤ 6.6.*
  • unaffected 6.12.115 – ≤ 6.12.*
  • unaffected 6.18.60 – ≤ 6.18.*
  • unaffected 7.2.14 – ≤ 7.2.*
  • unaffected 7.3.1 – ≤ 7.3.*
  • unaffected 7.4-rc1 – ≤ *

References (9)

• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/19c4de819e52b7f606468fbfe4fcef4e812e2777 (opens in a new tab)
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a49e6c9a1a5b3457c946a8efb616ce13b4ca8194 (opens in a new tab)
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/916667df7695366f23cfaf365b5840b228cc4b2e (opens in a new tab)
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dddd3a1ab7d12ee163477918ff6eb943361db4fe (opens in a new tab)
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c3cfd9e262afc9558c38f8cec57f09d10988546 (opens in a new tab)
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b613747f7ea309ada5b8d05b55398c338f7a968 (opens in a new tab)
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dea367df18e3a4faac393e3a4e818ee03af89b19 (opens in a new tab)
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0461bc8f91116aae4a020e15f4e1c1fd535ab35e (opens in a new tab)
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fced7238b7e80cf8aa688d5af976e4aa6e33c329 (opens in a new tab)

Sources

The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.

• CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
• CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
• NVD (opens in a new tab)
• FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
• OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
• GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
• CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)

Badge for a README or a ticket

[![CVE-2026-99224](https://trackcve.app/badge/CVE-2026-99224.svg)](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2026-99224)

Record last updated 3 Nov 2026, 19:12 UTC.