Medium severity · published May 28, 2026
CVE-2026-46196
tracepoint: balance regfunc() on func_add() failure in tracepoint_add_func()
5.5
CVSS
0.1%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracepoint: balance regfunc() on func_add() failure in tracepoint_add_func() When a tracepoint goes through the 0 -> 1 transition, tracepoint_add_func() invokes the subsystem's ext->regfunc() before attempting to install the new probe via func_add(). If func_add() then fails (for example, when allocate_probes() cannot allocate a new probe array under memory pressure and returns -ENOMEM), the function returns the error without calling the matching ext->unregfunc(), leaving the side effects of regfunc() behind with no installed probe to justify them. For syscall tracepoints this is particularly unpleasant: syscall_regfunc() bumps sys_tracepoint_refcount and sets SYSCALL_TRACEPOINT on every task. After a leaked failure, the refcount is stuck at a non-zero value with no consumer, and every task continues paying the syscall trace entry/exit overhead until reboot. Other subsystems providing regfunc()/unregfunc() pairs exhibit similarly scoped persistent state. Mirror the existing 1 -> 0 cleanup and call ext->unregfunc() in the func_add() error path, gated on the same condition used there so the unwind is symmetric with the registration.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.1% · higher than 3% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
KE
Kernel · Linux
4.10 before 6.6.140; 6.7 before 6.12.88; 6.13 before 6.18.30; 6.19 before 7.0.7 · source: NVD
LI
Linux · Linux
8cf868affdc459beee1a941df0cfaba1673740e3 before 5787052e5f69beb649f3d6a80a8aa37d9e683e4e; 8cf868affdc459beee1a941df0cfaba1673740e3 before 4f1756d043e56ea2e9a6c858fb290a0cf6fc2251; 8cf868affdc459beee1a941df0cfaba1673740e3 before 36ff362235307af95152d510b53c2d9b8773a342; 8cf868affdc459beee1a941df0cfaba1673740e3 before 247ed8a969f981bfba3112fd4bb441eaa6cef59c; 8cf868affdc459beee1a941df0cfaba1673740e3 before 7bcadb3c2bc1cf60690e931aadd35fb7bd646a49; 8cf868affdc459beee1a941df0cfaba1673740e3 before 2c5b8eeea006eb694c81631cd5713d494b80be90; +3 more · source: vendor