{"id":"CVE-2026-74512","state":"PUBLISHED","title":"audit: fix potential use-after-free in audit_del_rule()","description":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\naudit: fix potential use-after-free in audit_del_rule()\n\n`audit_del_rule()` destroys `e->rule.exe` via `audit_remove_mark_rule()`\nbefore unlinking the rule from RCU-visible filter lists and waiting for a\ngrace period. Concurrent readers in `audit_filter()` and\n`audit_filter_rules()` still dereference `e->rule.exe`, while the fsnotify\nmark can be freed on an independent lifetime path. This creates a\nuse-after-free window during rule deletion.\n\nFix this by unlinking the rule from the RCU-visible lists and invoking\n`synchronize_rcu()` before calling `audit_remove_mark_rule()` (and other\nrule removal helpers). This ensures that all existing RCU readers have\nexited the critical section before any underlying resources are destroyed.","publishedAt":"2026-08-15T12:27:33.736Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-16T19:05:51.743Z","severity":{"score":7.8,"label":"High","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","source":"Linux"},"assigner":"Linux","products":["Linux Linux"],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"93616c567469510b7bba55b2674e0c4523fd7e64","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"3f82927b399d7a276c0c12b6ff4424b747a0c9a7","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"8ae135a8962be9d4e8a131eb18eb06cdf02a47ce","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"45bf3df5b32e5a49953e7ceabc55f7dd85380e46","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"78bde7e9bd36eaae1b8e8cfcd47f12a34f301dbf","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"cae0dfed5d307b240bff71c3cf206652d1b6f215","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"5b8f46864f06d6dbacb7dcea52bc084dfd122638","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"246df90b5f1a8a6e6abbd2f058b029558720adec","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["kernel/auditfilter.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"4.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"4.3","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.265","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.216","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.183","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.6.151","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.6.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.12.103","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.12.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.18.44","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.18.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.1.8","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"7.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.2","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["kernel/auditfilter.c"]}],"references":["https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/93616c567469510b7bba55b2674e0c4523fd7e64","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3f82927b399d7a276c0c12b6ff4424b747a0c9a7","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8ae135a8962be9d4e8a131eb18eb06cdf02a47ce","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/45bf3df5b32e5a49953e7ceabc55f7dd85380e46","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/78bde7e9bd36eaae1b8e8cfcd47f12a34f301dbf","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cae0dfed5d307b240bff71c3cf206652d1b6f215","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5b8f46864f06d6dbacb7dcea52bc084dfd122638","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/246df90b5f1a8a6e6abbd2f058b029558720adec"],"weaknesses":[],"ingestedAt":"2026-10-29T20:12:58.252Z","source":{"repository":"CVEProject/cvelistV5","path":"cves/2026/74xxx/CVE-2026-74512.json","commit":"556c9d3a8cd17e218bb8e452ba7cd619a384ff47"},"raw":{"dataType":"CVE_RECORD","dataVersion":"5.2","cveMetadata":{"cveId":"CVE-2026-74512","state":"PUBLISHED","datePublished":"2026-08-15T12:27:33.736Z","dateUpdated":"2026-10-16T19:05:51.743Z","assignerShortName":"Linux","assignerOrgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateReserved":"2026-08-15T05:44:03.909Z"},"containers":{"cna":{"title":"audit: fix potential use-after-free in audit_del_rule()","descriptions":[{"lang":"en","value":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\naudit: fix potential use-after-free in audit_del_rule()\n\n`audit_del_rule()` destroys `e->rule.exe` via `audit_remove_mark_rule()`\nbefore unlinking the rule from RCU-visible filter lists and waiting for a\ngrace period. Concurrent readers in `audit_filter()` and\n`audit_filter_rules()` still dereference `e->rule.exe`, while the fsnotify\nmark can be freed on an independent lifetime path. This creates a\nuse-after-free window during rule deletion.\n\nFix this by unlinking the rule from the RCU-visible lists and invoking\n`synchronize_rcu()` before calling `audit_remove_mark_rule()` (and other\nrule removal helpers). This ensures that all existing RCU readers have\nexited the critical section before any underlying resources are destroyed."}],"affected":[{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"unaffected","versions":[{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"93616c567469510b7bba55b2674e0c4523fd7e64","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"3f82927b399d7a276c0c12b6ff4424b747a0c9a7","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"8ae135a8962be9d4e8a131eb18eb06cdf02a47ce","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"45bf3df5b32e5a49953e7ceabc55f7dd85380e46","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"78bde7e9bd36eaae1b8e8cfcd47f12a34f301dbf","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"cae0dfed5d307b240bff71c3cf206652d1b6f215","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"5b8f46864f06d6dbacb7dcea52bc084dfd122638","versionType":"git"},{"version":"34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc","status":"affected","lessThan":"246df90b5f1a8a6e6abbd2f058b029558720adec","versionType":"git"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["kernel/auditfilter.c"]},{"vendor":"Linux","product":"Linux","defaultStatus":"affected","versions":[{"version":"4.3","status":"affected"},{"version":"0","status":"unaffected","lessThan":"4.3","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.10.265","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.10.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"5.15.216","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"5.15.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.1.183","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.6.151","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.6.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.12.103","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.12.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"6.18.44","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"6.18.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.1.8","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"7.1.*","versionType":"semver"},{"version":"7.2","status":"unaffected","lessThanOrEqual":"*","versionType":"original_commit_for_fix"}],"repo":"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git","programFiles":["kernel/auditfilter.c"]}],"references":[{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/93616c567469510b7bba55b2674e0c4523fd7e64"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3f82927b399d7a276c0c12b6ff4424b747a0c9a7"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8ae135a8962be9d4e8a131eb18eb06cdf02a47ce"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/45bf3df5b32e5a49953e7ceabc55f7dd85380e46"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/78bde7e9bd36eaae1b8e8cfcd47f12a34f301dbf"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cae0dfed5d307b240bff71c3cf206652d1b6f215"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5b8f46864f06d6dbacb7dcea52bc084dfd122638"},{"url":"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/246df90b5f1a8a6e6abbd2f058b029558720adec"}],"metrics":[{"cvssV3_1":{"version":"3.1","vectorString":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","baseScore":7.8,"baseSeverity":"HIGH"},"scenarios":[{"lang":"en","value":"AV:L - Reachable only via local NETLINK_AUDIT (AUDIT_DEL_RULE) or filesystem events that autoremove AUDIT_EXE rules; concurrent UAF readers run in syscall/io_uring exit audit filtering on the local host, not from remote network input.\nAC:L - The attacker controls both sides of the race by deleting an AUDIT_EXE rule (auditctl or deleting/moving the audited executable) while driving concurrent syscall/io_uring activity to keep RCU readers in audit_filter()/audit_filter_rules().\nPR:L - Besides CAP_AUDIT_CONTROL netlink deletion, unprivileged local users can trigger audit_del_rule() via fsnotify autoremove when deleting/moving an admin-configured audited executable they can write, without init-namespace root.\nUI:N - Exploitation requires no victim interaction; the attacker schedules rule deletion and concurrent audited syscalls/io_uring exits to hit the UAF window.\nS:U - Impact is kernel heap memory corruption and local privilege escalation within the host kernel security domain, not a documented cross-VM or IOMMU boundary escape.\nC:H - Use-after-free of audit_fsnotify_mark while audit_exe_compare()/audit_mark_compare() dereference mark->ino/dev enables arbitrary kernel memory reads and info disclosure primitives.\nI:H - Freed fsnotify mark objects can be reallocated and corrupted to obtain arbitrary kernel writes, control-flow hijack, and local root code execution beyond audit rule deletion.\nA:H - Concurrent dereference of a freed audit_fsnotify_mark during audit filtering can immediately oops/panic the kernel; repeated triggering yields reliable denial of service."}]}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"Linux","orgId":"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67","dateUpdated":"2026-08-19T16:38:09.879Z"},"cpeApplicability":[{"nodes":[{"operator":"OR","negate":false,"cpeMatch":[{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.3","versionEndExcluding":"5.10.265"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.3","versionEndExcluding":"5.15.216"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.3","versionEndExcluding":"6.1.183"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.3","versionEndExcluding":"6.6.151"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.3","versionEndExcluding":"6.12.103"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.3","versionEndExcluding":"6.18.44"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.3","versionEndExcluding":"7.1.8"},{"vulnerable":true,"criteria":"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*","versionStartIncluding":"4.3","versionEndExcluding":"7.2"}]}]}],"x_generator":{"engine":"bippy-1.2.0"}},"adp":[{"title":"CISA ADP Vulnrichment","metrics":[{"other":{"type":"ssvc","content":{"id":"CVE-2026-74512","role":"CISA Coordinator","options":[{"Exploitation":"none"},{"Automatable":"no"},{"Technical Impact":"total"}],"version":"2.0.3","timestamp":"2026-10-16T18:58:42.622737Z"}}}],"providerMetadata":{"shortName":"CISA-ADP","orgId":"134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0","dateUpdated":"2026-10-16T19:05:51.743Z"}}]}}}