{ "dataType": "CVE_RECORD", "dataVersion": "5.2", "cveMetadata": { "cveId": "CVE-2026-68096", "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "state": "PUBLISHED", "assignerShortName": "Linux", "dateReserved": "2026-07-30T09:28:09.368Z", "datePublished": "2026-08-10T11:58:09.951Z", "dateUpdated": "2026-08-23T12:45:47.969Z" }, "containers": { "cna": { "providerMetadata": { "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "shortName": "Linux", "dateUpdated": "2026-08-23T12:45:47.969Z" }, "descriptions": [ { "lang": "en", "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\naudit: fix recursive locking deadlock in audit_dupe_exe()\n\nA deadlock occurs in the audit subsystem when duplicating\nexecutable-related rules.\n\nWhen a file is moved (e.g., via do_renameat2()), the VFS layer locks\nthe parent directory (I_MUTEX_PARENT), which synchronously triggers an\nfsnotify_move event. If an existing executable audit rule matches the\nfile being moved, the audit subsystem catches this event and calls\naudit_dupe_exe() to duplicate the watch and update the rule. Then,\naudit_alloc_mark() would call kern_path_parent() to resolve the path,\nleading to a blind attempt to acquire the exact same I_MUTEX_PARENT lock\nalready held by the task, resulting in the following recursive locking\ndeadlock:\n\n ============================================\n WARNING: possible recursive locking detected\n 6.12.0-55.27.1.el10_0.x86_64+debug #1 Not tainted\n --------------------------------------------\n mv/5099 is trying to acquire lock:\n ffff888132845358 (&inode->i_sb->s_type->i_mutex_dir_key/1){+.+.}-{3:3},\n at: __kern_path_locked+0x10a/0x2f0\n\n but task is already holding lock:\n ffff888132846b58 (&inode->i_sb->s_type->i_mutex_dir_key/1){+.+.}-{3:3},\n at: lock_two_directories+0x13f/0x2b0\n\n other info that might help us debug this:\n Possible unsafe locking scenario:\n\n CPU0\n ----\n lock(&inode->i_sb->s_type->i_mutex_dir_key/1);\n lock(&inode->i_sb->s_type->i_mutex_dir_key/1);\n\n *** DEADLOCK ***\n\n May be due to missing lock nesting notation\n\n 6 locks held by mv/5099:\n #0: ffff888112a9c440 (sb_writers#13)\n at: do_renameat2+0x34c/0xbc0\n #1: ffff888112a9c790 (&type->s_vfs_rename_key#3)\n at: do_renameat2+0x415/0xbc0\n #2: ffff888132846b58 (&inode->i_sb->s_type->i_mutex_dir_key/1)\n at: lock_two_directories+0x13f/0x2b0\n #3: ffff888132845358 (&inode->i_sb->s_type->i_mutex_dir_key/5)\n at: lock_two_directories+0x175/0x2b0\n #4: ffffffffb3a1fb10 (&fsnotify_mark_srcu)\n at: fsnotify+0x454/0x28a0\n #5: ffffffffaf886230 (audit_filter_mutex)\n at: audit_update_watch+0x36/0x11e0\n\n stack backtrace:\n Call Trace:\n \n dump_stack_lvl+0x6f/0xb0\n print_deadlock_bug.cold+0xbd/0xca\n validate_chain+0x83a/0xf00\n __lock_acquire+0xcac/0x1d20\n lock_acquire.part.0+0x11b/0x360\n down_write_nested+0x9f/0x230\n __kern_path_locked+0x10a/0x2f0\n kern_path_locked+0x26/0x40\n audit_alloc_mark+0xfb/0x4f0\n audit_dupe_exe+0x6c/0xe0\n audit_dupe_rule+0x6c2/0xc00\n audit_update_watch+0x4cc/0x11e0\n audit_watch_handle_event+0x12c/0x1b0\n send_to_group+0x5d0/0x8b0\n fsnotify+0x615/0x28a0\n fsnotify_move+0x1d8/0x630\n vfs_rename+0xdcd/0x1df0\n do_renameat2+0x9d4/0xbc0\n __x64_sys_renameat+0x192/0x260\n do_syscall_64+0x92/0x180\n entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e\n RIP: 0033:0x7f0491fe8c4e\n Code: 0f 1f 40 00 48 8b 15 c1 e1 16 00 f7 d8 64 89 02 b8 ff ff ff ff\n c3 66 0f 1f 44 00 00 f3 0f 1e fa 49 89 ca b8 08 01 00 00 0f 05 <48>\n 3d 00 f0 ff ff 77 0a c3 66 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 48 8b 15 89\n RSP: 002b:00007ffc7210bf38 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000108\n RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 00007f0491fe8c4e\n RDX: 0000000000000003 RSI: 00007ffc7210e6c8 RDI: 00000000ffffff9c\n RBP: 0000000000000000 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000001\n R10: 00005575eb2dae2a R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 00005575eb2dae2a\n R13: 00007ffc7210e6c8 R14: 0000000000000003 R15: 00000000ffffff9c\n \n\nThe aforementioned deadlock can be consistently reproduced by running\nthe script below:\n\n audit-dupe-exe-deadlock.sh\n --------------------------\n #!/bin/bash\n auditctl -D\n mkdir -p /tmp/foo\n touch /tmp/file\n auditctl -a always,exit -F exe=/tmp/file -F path=/tmp/file -S all -k dr\n mv /tmp/file /tmp/foo/file\n rm -Rf /tmp/foo\n\nThis patch fixes the issue by introducing struct audit_watch_ctx to pass\nthe fsnotify event context down to audit_alloc_mark(). By utilizing the\nalready-resolved directory inode provided by the event, we bypass the\nkern_path_parent() path resol\n---truncated---" } ], "metrics": [ { "cvssV3_1": { "version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H", "baseScore": 7.5, "baseSeverity": "HIGH" }, "scenarios": [ { "lang": "en", "value": "AV:N - The deadlock is triggered when vfs_rename() emits fsnotify_move() during rename processing; on NFS (nfsd) and SMB (ksmbd) servers a remote client rename request reaches this same synchronous audit_update_watch()->audit_dupe_exe()->audit_alloc_mark()->kern_path_parent() path, not only local renameat().\nAC:L - Once an audit rule combining exe= and path= watches exists, the fix commit shows the recursive directory-lock deadlock is consistently reproduced by a simple rename/move; the attacker controls when the rename occurs and no race or special memory layout is required.\nPR:N - Triggering requires only the ability to rename the watched file on a local or network-exported path; a remote NFS/SMB client can issue that rename without local shell access, CAP_AUDIT_CONTROL, or other elevated server-side Unix privileges beyond export write access.\nUI:N - No victim interaction is required; the attacker or any client performing the rename directly invokes the vulnerable fsnotify/audit path without needing another user to open files, click links, or mount filesystems.\nS:U - Impact is confined to the vulnerable kernel host where the rename is processed (task hang/deadlock during audit rule update); it does not cross VM, IOMMU, or sandbox security boundaries.\nC:N - This is a recursive mutex deadlock with no memory corruption, out-of-bounds access, or use-after-free; no attacker-controlled information disclosure occurs beyond optional lockdep diagnostics on debug kernels.\nI:N - The bug does not modify kernel or user data and provides no write primitive or code-execution path; it only deadlocks the calling context while holding VFS directory locks and audit_filter_mutex.\nA:H - The vulnerability causes a deterministic recursive locking deadlock that permanently hangs the rename task while holding directory inode locks and audit_filter_mutex, denying that operation and potentially blocking audit processing and directory operations system-wide." } ] } ], "affected": [ { "product": "Linux", "vendor": "Linux", "defaultStatus": "unaffected", "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git", "programFiles": [ "kernel/audit.h", "kernel/audit_fsnotify.c", "kernel/audit_watch.c", "kernel/auditfilter.c" ], "versions": [ { "version": "34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc", "lessThan": "6114c3f21eb2ae175401736da744b684705e7ed9", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc", "lessThan": "f6fda0ac6661c23b8356dfb1cc423960cc6f0593", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc", "lessThan": "3bbb4931f7cd84cecf29ec222c0732bf9ad4da9f", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc", "lessThan": "36eb77f14b4e6f2dc1008c1fabe31236397be27a", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc", "lessThan": "7d1f66c69898ffb1a718926c32a777ecc471caca", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc", "lessThan": "40879c39d6740f3dddfb52b5d6ba7fb8cceb84d8", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc", "lessThan": "3b601938314c24fcd1afb6659cad92fe96c9c2f8", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git" }, { "version": "34d99af52ad40bd498ba66970579a5bc1fb1a3bc", "lessThan": "81905b5acbe77284734438df3fbec1158e6429a3", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git" } ] }, { "product": "Linux", "vendor": "Linux", "defaultStatus": "affected", "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git", "programFiles": [ "kernel/audit.h", "kernel/audit_fsnotify.c", "kernel/audit_watch.c", "kernel/auditfilter.c" ], "versions": [ { "version": "4.3", "status": "affected" }, { "version": "0", "lessThan": "4.3", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "5.10.266", "lessThanOrEqual": "5.10.*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "5.15.217", "lessThanOrEqual": "5.15.*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "6.1.184", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.1.*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "6.6.148", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.6.*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "6.12.101", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "6.18.42", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "7.1.6", "lessThanOrEqual": "7.1.*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver" }, { "version": "7.2", "lessThanOrEqual": "*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix" } ] } ], "cpeApplicability": [ { "nodes": [ { "operator": "OR", "negate": false, "cpeMatch": [ { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "4.3", "versionEndExcluding": "5.10.266" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "4.3", "versionEndExcluding": "5.15.217" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "4.3", "versionEndExcluding": "6.1.184" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "4.3", "versionEndExcluding": "6.6.148" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "4.3", "versionEndExcluding": "6.12.101" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "4.3", "versionEndExcluding": "6.18.42" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "4.3", "versionEndExcluding": "7.1.6" }, { "vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "4.3", "versionEndExcluding": "7.2" } ] } ] } ], "references": [ { "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6114c3f21eb2ae175401736da744b684705e7ed9" }, { "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f6fda0ac6661c23b8356dfb1cc423960cc6f0593" }, { "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3bbb4931f7cd84cecf29ec222c0732bf9ad4da9f" }, { "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/36eb77f14b4e6f2dc1008c1fabe31236397be27a" }, { "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7d1f66c69898ffb1a718926c32a777ecc471caca" }, { "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/40879c39d6740f3dddfb52b5d6ba7fb8cceb84d8" }, { "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b601938314c24fcd1afb6659cad92fe96c9c2f8" }, { "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/81905b5acbe77284734438df3fbec1158e6429a3" } ], "title": "audit: fix recursive locking deadlock in audit_dupe_exe()", "x_generator": { "engine": "bippy-1.2.0" } } } }