data built 2026-10-19T13:16:53Z

Look up another CVE · open CVE-2026-97961 in the interactive tracker

CVE-2026-97961

perf/core: Allow list_del during perf_event_overflow()

EPSS 0.2%

Published 2026-09-25 (24 days ago) by the Linux kernel CNA. Subsystem kernel/events. Debian urgency: unimportant.

What to do, per Debian release

Debian's own status for CVE-2026-97961 in every release this site tracks, and what each one means in practice. Every status below is the one the Debian Security Team publishes for this CVE. source

ReleaseStatus VersionWhat this means
Debian 12bookwormnot affected6.1.190-1Nothing to do. bookworm never shipped the vulnerable code.
Debian 13trixiefixedDSA-6528-1 · 2026-09-29 · text6.12.111-1Update the kernel and reboot. DSA-6528-1 shipped the fix on 2026-09-29, in 6.12.111-1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts.
Debian 14forkyfixed7.2.7-1Update the kernel and reboot. Fixed in 7.2.7-1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts.
Debian unstablesidfixed7.2.7-1Update the kernel and reboot. Fixed in 7.2.7-1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts.
Debian 12bookworm · linux-6.12fixedDLA-4817-1 · 2026-10-04 · text6.12.111-1~deb12u1Update the kernel and reboot. DLA-4817-1 shipped the fix on 2026-10-04, in 6.12.111-1~deb12u1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts.

The vulnerability

What the bug is

A PMU might use perf_sched_cb_inc() and perf_sched_cb_dec() interface to get the PMU call back function pmu::sched_task invoked at schedule in and schedule out. This is achieved by walking along the list anchored by sched_cb_list. The following scenario might lead to a list corruption. perf_pmu_sched_task() for_each_list_entry(..., &sched_cb_list) +--> __perf_pmu_sched_task() +--> event->pmu->sched_task()) +--> PMU_push_sample() +--> perf_event_overflow() +--> __perf_event_overflow() +--> pmu->stop() +--> perf_sched_cb_dec() remove entry from sched_cb_list while list node in use. This happens when ioctl(fd, PERF_EVENT_IOC_REFRESH, xxx) has been invoked and perf_event::event_limit hits zero. Prevent the list corruption and convert for_each_list_entry() to for_each_list_entry_safe().

Where it lives

The fix touches these files. If the subsystem is one you do not use, the practical exposure is lower, though the package is still the vulnerable one.

kernel/events/core.c

What this is
PERFORMANCE EVENTS SUBSYSTEMMAINTAINERS section matched on kernel/events/* · linux-perf-users@vger.kernel.org · Supported

Check it on the machine

grep -w CONFIG_PERF_EVENTS /boot/config-$(uname -r)

Reads the booted kernel's own configuration, on the machine and nowhere else. =y is built in, =m is a module, and an is not set line means the code is not there.

Show whether Debian builds this, per release

Debian builds this code. Every release below compiles the affected file into the kernels it ships.

  • bookworm, trixie, forky, sid, bookworm · linux-6.12y
y
built into the kernel image on every flavour - only a patch removes it
Build switch
CONFIG_PERF_EVENTS

From the configuration Debian publishes for every kernel flavour it builds. It covers only the architectures Debian ships a linux-config package for, and nothing about a kernel you built yourself. Debian's own status above stays authoritative about the source package.MAINTAINERS kbuild Makefiles Debian linux-config packages

Signals

Published
2026-09-25 (24 days ago)source
CVSS
no vector published, unrated
Attack vector
not published
EPSS
0.17%, higher than 5.6% of all CVEssource
CISA KEV
not listedthe KEV catalogue
Debian urgency
unimportantsource
Subsystem
kernel/events

Upstream fixes

The versions the CNA records as introducing and fixing this, and the commit for each. source

IntroducedFixed inCommit
6.26.12.111723e85fb2c3b
6.26.18.536d0b9ce3be22
6.27.2.7e2770c76a024
6.27.359e63416f515

Debian advisories

AdvisoryDateShipped toDebian
DLA-4817-12026-10-04bookworm 6.12.111-1~deb12u1tracker
DSA-6528-12026-09-29trixie 6.12.111-1tracker

Why the CNA scored it this way

The kernel CNA published no CVSS vector and no reasoning for CVE-2026-97961, which is why it is shown as unrated rather than given an invented score. 6,405 of the 20,413 CVEs here carry reasoning; this is not one of them.