# CVE-2026-64435: audit: Fix data races of skb_queue_len() readers on audit_queue

> A data race in the Linux kernel audit subsystem can lead to inconsistent backlog counts, potentially causing denial of service or audit log loss.

- **Severity:** High 8.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-93584, BELL-CVE-2026-64435, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-64435, GHSA-h4f8-j958-689c, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-64435, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-64435, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-64435

## What is CVE-2026-64435?

CVE-2026-64435 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

audit: Fix data races of skb_queue_len() readers on audit_queue

Multiple readers access audit_queue.qlen via skb_queue_len() without
holding the queue lock or using READ_ONCE(), while kauditd writes to
this field via the skb_dequeue() → __skb_unlink() path with WRITE_ONCE()
protected by a spinlock. This constitutes data races.

All affected skb_queue_len(&audit_queue) call sites:
  - kauditd_thread() wait_event_freezable() condition
  - audit_receive_msg() AUDIT_GET handler (s.backlog assignment)
  - audit_receive() backlog check
  - audit_log_start() backlog check and pr_warn()

KCSAN reports the following conflicting access pattern (one example):
==================================================================
BUG: KCSAN: data-race in audit_log_start / skb_dequeue

write (marked) to 0xffffffff8512ee20 of 4 bytes by task 661 on cpu 57:
 skb_dequeue+0x70/0xf0
 kauditd_send_queue+0x71/0x220
 kauditd_thread+0x1cb/0x430
 kthread+0x1c2/0x210
 ret_from_fork+0x162/0x1a0
 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30

read to 0xffffffff8512ee20 of 4 bytes by task 36586 on cpu 1:
 audit_log_start+0x2a0/0x6b0
 audit_core_dumps+0x64/0xa0
 do_coredump+0x14b/0x1260
 get_signal+0xeb2/0xf70
 arch_do_signal_or_restart+0x41/0x170
 exit_to_user_mode_loop+0xa2/0x1c0
 do_syscall_64+0x1a3/0x1c0
 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0xe0

value changed: 0x00000001 -> 0x00000000
==================================================================

Resolve the race by switching to lockless helper skb_queue_len_lockless(),
which internally uses READ_ONCE() and properly pairs with the WRITE_ONCE()
write accesses already present on the writer side.

[PM: line length tweak]

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-64435?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-64435?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-64435 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64435 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-2026-64435 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-64435 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64435 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-2026-64435/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64435/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-64435
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64435
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-64435

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64435/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.