CVE-2026-89654 ceph: fix UAF in check_new_map() on session freed during unlock
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Ceph client allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges via a race condition.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-89654?
CVE-2026-89654 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 11 Sep 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:
ceph: fix UAF in check_new_map() on session freed during unlock
check_new_map() iterates mdsc->sessions[] and for each active session drops mdsc->mutex to perform per-session operations. The forced-close path (rank removed from map) correctly takes a reference on s via ceph_get_mds_session() before releasing mdsc->mutex, but three other paths do not:
Path A (address changed): mutex_unlock → mutex_lock(&s->s_mutex) Path B (reconnect): mutex_unlock → send_mds_reconnect(mdsc, s) Path C (active transition): mutex_unlock → mutex_lock(&s->s_mutex)
Without the extra reference, another thread can acquire mdsc->mutex during the unlock window, call __unregister_session() which drops the last reference on s, and free it. The original thread then accesses freed memory via s->s_mutex.
Fix by adding ceph_get_mds_session(s) before each mutex_unlock and ceph_put_mds_session(s) after the corresponding mutex_lock, matching the pattern already used in the forced-close path.
Race timeline (Path A):
Thread A (check_new_map) Thread B (another map update holds mdsc->mutex or session teardown) -------------------------- -------------------------- s = mdsc->sessions[i] (refcount == 1, held only by sessions[] array)
mutex_unlock(&mdsc->mutex) ---> acquires mdsc->mutex __unregister_session(mdsc, s) sessions[i] = NULL ceph_put_mds_session(s) refcount: 1 -> 0 kfree(s) <--- freed!
mutex_lock(&s->s_mutex) UAF on freed s->s_mutex
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-89654?
How do I fix CVE-2026-89654?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-89654 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-89654 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as AZL-100770, BELL-CVE-2026-89654, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-89654, GHSA-hwg3-wmfr-8q53, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-89654.