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Response snapshot Oct 30, 2026, 17:36 UTC

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VulnerabilityCVE-2026-90002

Linux kernel: ftrace: Take trace_array reference before accessing its ftrace_ops

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ftrace: Take trace_array reference before accessing its ftrace_ops The trace instance files set_ftrace_filter and set_ftrace_notrace was updated to work with specific trace instances (trace_arrays).

At a glance

Exploited
Not known
Severity
7.8 High (CVSS 3.1)
Chance of exploitation
0.2% in the next 30 days
Sources
1 source

What to do

Check the vendor advisory for affected versions and fixes.

Read NVD CVE-2026-90002 (opens a new tab)

What happened

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

ftrace: Take trace_array reference before accessing its ftrace_ops

The trace instance files set_ftrace_filter and set_ftrace_notrace was updated to work with specific trace instances (trace_arrays). The issue is that when these files are opened, there is a small race window where it will use the ftrace_ops from the inode->private pointer to get a reference to the trace_array and then take its reference. The problem is that the ftrace_ops itself could be freed.

If the rmdir on the instance happens at the same time the set_ftrace_filter file is opened, the rmdir could have also freed the ftrace_ops and referencing it will cause a use-after-free bug and crash the kernel.

Continue reading

Instead, pass in the trace_array as the file private data (NULL for the top level instance), and then pass both the trace_array and the ftrace_ops to the ftrace_regex_open() function. If the trace_array is NULL, then it just uses the ftrace_ops without the need to take its reference (like normal). If the ftrace_ops is NULL, that is only the case for the top level instance and the global_ops can be used.

This allows the trace_array to have its reference incremented before touching the ftrace_ops that could also be freed when the instance is.

Scores and how they were measured

CVSS base severity

7.8

Version 3.1As of

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Measurement source (opens a new tab)

How bad it is if exploited. Not a prediction of exploitation or proof you are exposed.

EPSS probability

0.2%

Scored Percentile 6.3%

Model and measurement source (opens a new tab)

A model's estimate of exploitation in the next 30 days, not certainty or your own risk.

Related technology

Sources

  1. Primary source

    NVD CVE-2026-90002 (opens a new tab)

    NVD record: description, CVSS (the CNA score is preferred), affected products, and publication date. Not evidence of exploitation.

    Published Checked

  2. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  3. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  4. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  5. Primary source

    FIRST measured EPSS score (opens a new tab)

    Measured EPSS probability and percentile for CVE-2026-90002, scored 2026-10-30. This is a model estimate, not proof of exposure.

    Published Checked

Cite this record

For factual claims, cite the primary sources above; cite KEVWire for its compilation, dates, and classifications.

APA

KEVWire. (2026, October 30). Linux kernel: ftrace: Take trace_array reference before accessing its ftrace_ops (CVE-2026-90002). https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-90002

MLA

"Linux kernel: ftrace: Take trace_array reference before accessing its ftrace_ops (CVE-2026-90002)." KEVWire, 30 Oct. 2026, kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-90002.

Chicago

KEVWire. "Linux kernel: ftrace: Take trace_array reference before accessing its ftrace_ops (CVE-2026-90002)." Last modified October 30, 2026. https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-90002.

Evidence summary (plain text)

Linux kernel: ftrace: Take trace_array reference before accessing its ftrace_ops (Sep 16, 2026).
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ftrace: Take trace_array reference before accessing its ftrace_ops

The trace instance files set_ftrace_filter and set_ftrace_notrace was
updated to work with specific trace instances (trace_arrays). The issue is
that when these files are opened, there is a small race window where it
will use the ftrace_ops from the inode->private pointer to get a reference
to the trace_array and then take its reference. The problem is that the
ftrace_ops itself could be freed.
CVSS 7.8 (version 3.1; evidence as of Oct 30, 2026; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-90002).
EPSS 0.2% for the following 30 days, scored Oct 30, 2026 (https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-90002&date=2026-10-30).
Sources:
NVD CVE-2026-90002: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-90002
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-30T13:06:45.042Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-30T14:50:57.069Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=500
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-30T12:22:16.957Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-30T14:05:57.373Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=500
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-30T11:45:59.009Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-30T13:20:57.281Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=500
FIRST measured EPSS score: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-90002&date=2026-10-30
Record ID: CVE-2026-90002.
Record origin: Ingested record.
AI evidence: Not assessed.
Known exploitation: Not assessed.
Zero-day status: Not assessed. KEV membership alone does not establish zero-day status.
About this data

This record was ingested from a data source. Retrieved: Oct 30, 2026, 14:52 UTC. Ingestion is not an independent editorial investigation.

NVD status: Received. Publication in the NVD is not evidence of exploitation.

A CISA KEV listing documents known exploitation, not necessarily a zero-day; absence from the catalog does not prove a vulnerability has never been exploited.

Technology tags indicate possible relevance, not verified exposure. Confirm the affected product, version, and configuration against your own inventory; KEVWire does not scan your systems.

A personal reading checklist on this device, not verified remediation.

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Record details

Record detail