# CVE-2026-97924: tracing/user_events: Don't destroy fields when event removal fails

> A local attacker can trigger a use-after-free in the Linux kernel tracing subsystem by failing event removal, potentially causing a crash or privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **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:** 25 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-104424, BELL-CVE-2026-97924, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97924, GHSA-jx2m-2c39-9c87, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97924

## What is CVE-2026-97924?

CVE-2026-97924 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 25 Sep 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/user_events: Don't destroy fields when event removal fails

destroy_user_event() destroys the event's fields before attempting to
remove the trace event call. If user_event_set_call_visible() fails,
e.g. because the event is still enabled and trace_remove_event_call()
returns -EBUSY, the event is left registered with an irreversibly
destroyed field list. Any subsequent interaction with the event then
operates on an empty field list while it is still fully visible in
tracefs.

Move the field destruction after the call removal, and splice the
field list back onto the event when the removal fails so the event
remains in a consistent state.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-97924?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-97924?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-97924 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-97924 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-97924 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-97924 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 25 Sep 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-2026-97924 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-2026-97924/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97924/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-97924
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97924
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97924

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97924/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.