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CVE-2026-43326

sched_ext: Fix SCX_KICK_WAIT deadlock by deferring wait to balance callback

Published: 5/8/2026 Last updated: 5/11/2026 Reserved: 5/1/2026

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched_ext: Fix SCX_KICK_WAIT deadlock by deferring wait to balance callback SCX_KICK_WAIT busy-waits in kick_cpus_irq_workfn() using smp_cond_load_acquire() until the target CPU's kick_sync advances. Because the irq_work runs in hardirq context, the waiting CPU cannot reschedule and its own kick_sync never advances. If multiple CPUs form a wait cycle, all CPUs deadlock. Replace the busy-wait in kick_cpus_irq_workfn() with resched_curr() to force the CPU through do_pick_task_scx(), which queues a balance callback to perform the wait. The balance callback drops the rq lock and enables IRQs following the sched_core_balance() pattern, so the CPU can process IPIs while waiting. The local CPU's kick_sync is advanced on entry to do_pick_task_scx() and continuously during the wait, ensuring any CPU that starts waiting for us sees the advancement and cannot form cyclic dependencies.

CNA assigner: Linux (416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67) Requested by: n/a

Opam packages affected (29)

albatross cdrom conf-bpftool conf-libbpf conf-linux-libc-dev core core_unix hvsock mirage-block-unix mm ocaml-probes ortools_solvers orun rawlink rawlink-eio rawlink-lwt restricted shell solo5 solo5-bindings-hvt solo5-bindings-spt solo5-cross-aarch64 solo5-kernel-ukvm tracy-client tuntap uring vhd-format vhd-format-lwt xapi-stdext-unix

Products affected (4)

Product Vendor Version
Linux Linux FreeBSD 11.2 before 11.2-RELEASE-p7 and 12.0 before 12.0-RELEASE-p1
Linux Linux n/a
Linux Linux Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2
Linux Linux Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

References (4)