# CVE-2026-23271: perf: Fix __perf_event_overflow() vs perf_remove_from_context() race

> A race condition in the Linux kernel perf subsystem allows attackers to trigger use-after-free errors, potentially leading to privilege escalation or code execution.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 20 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-80213, BELL-CVE-2026-23271, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-23271, GHSA-x3m9-v7vh-x62j, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-23271, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-23271, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-13-CVE-2026-23271, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-23271, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-23271, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-23271

## What is CVE-2026-23271?

CVE-2026-23271 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 20 Mar 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

perf: Fix __perf_event_overflow() vs perf_remove_from_context() race

Make sure that __perf_event_overflow() runs with IRQs disabled for all
possible callchains. Specifically the software events can end up running
it with only preemption disabled.

This opens up a race vs perf_event_exit_event() and friends that will go
and free various things the overflow path expects to be present, like
the BPF program.

Weakness: CWE-362 (Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-23271?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-23271?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-23271 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23271 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-23271 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-23271 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 20 Mar 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-23271 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23271/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23271/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23271
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23271
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-23271

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23271/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.