# CVE-2026-68177: tracing: Delay module ref count for "enable_event" trigger

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel tracing subsystem allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges by triggering module removal during event processing.

- **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:** 10 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-68177, GHSA-h49p-x9p9-q3f3, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-68177

## What is CVE-2026-68177?

CVE-2026-68177 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 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:

tracing: Delay module ref count for "enable_event" trigger

Triggers are now delayed from freeing, but can still be triggered until
after the RCU grace period has ended. The freeing of the enable_event data
is put into the private_data_free() callback, but the put of the module
refcount is done immediately.

It is possible that if a module is removed that has an event that would
enable (or disable) it is still active, it can read the data of the module
after it is removed causing a use-after-free bug.

Move the trace_event_put_ref() that releases the module into the delayed
callback so that the module can not be removed until any reference to its
events are finished.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-68177?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-68177?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-68177 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-68177 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-68177 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-68177 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 10 Aug 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-2026-68177 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. 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-2026-68177/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68177/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-68177
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-68177
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-68177

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-68177/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.