CVE-2026-89791 — perf: Fix use-after-free when perf mmap() revival races with the last munmap()

Affected: Linux

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

perf: Fix use-after-free when perf mmap() revival races with the last munmap()

perf_mmap_close() drops rb->mmap_count *without* holding event->mmap_mutex (the refcount_dec_and_test() right before the refcount_dec_and_mutex_lock() of event->mmap_count). A concurrent perf_mmap_rb() can slot its entire "revival" path into that window (perf_mmap holds event->mmap_mutex for its whole duration, including rb_alloc):

munmap side (perf_mmap_close) mmap side (perf_mmap_rb) ----------------------------------- -------------------------------- rb->mmap_count 1 -> 0 (no lock) (holds event->mmap_mutex) inc_not_zero(rb->mmap_count) fails ring_buffer_attach(event, NULL) rb_alloc() + attach new rb refcount_set(&event->mmap_count, 1) lock; event->mmap_count 1 -> 0 ring_buffer_attach(event, NULL) ring_buffer_put() -> frees the *new* rb

The revival's refcount_set(&event->mmap_count, 1) is an invisible 1 -> 1 write: the close frees the just-revived buffer although the other process still has it mapped -- a page-level use-after-free allowing local privilege escalation to root by any unprivileged user (default kernel.perf_event_paranoid=2).

Swap the order of the two counter updates: event->mmap_count is dropped first via refcount_dec_a…

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CVE-2026-89791 — perf: Fix use-after-free when perf mmap() revival races with the last munmap()