CVE-2026-80521

CVE Details

Release Date:	2026-08-26
Impact:	Moderate	What is this?

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: af_unix: Unlink scc_entry in unix_del_edge(). Kyle Zeng reported that GC could free a dead SCC partially. The scenario is as follows: 1) Create two SCCs: X -. A <-> B ^--' 2) Run the following concurrently: 2-1) send() sk-B to sk-B from sk-X 2-2) close() both A and B At 2-1), there is a small window where unix_add_edges() publishes a new edge (B <-> B) to GC but its skb is not queued by skb_queue_tail(). If 2-2) completes before skb_queue_tail() and GC is triggered, it judges A <-> B as dead, but B is not freed because GC cannot collect the not-yet-queued skb holding the B <-> B edge. X -. A <-> B -. This edge is visible ^--' ^..' but skb is not This itself is not a problem since the next GC run will judge B as dead as well and free it finally. X -. A <.> B -. ^--' ^--' However, X's SCC forces the next GC to call unix_walk_scc_fast(), and it iterates over A through B's scc_entry. Let's unlink scc_entry before freeing the vertex in unix_del_edge().

See more information about CVE-2026-80521 from MITRE CVE dictionary and NIST NVD

NOTE: The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.

CVSS v3 metrics

Base Score:	7.8
Vector String:	CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Version:	3.1
Attack Vector:	Local
Attack Complexity:	Low
Privileges Required:	Low
User Interaction:	None
Scope:	Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact:	High
Integrity Impact:	High
Availability Impact:	High

Errata information

Platform	Errata	Release Date
Oracle Linux version 9 (kernel-uek)	ELSA-2026-500374	2026-10-07