CVE-2026-99159 ring-buffer: Fix the sub-buffer array base in rb_meta_subbuf_idx()
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2026-99159?
CVE-2026-99159 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 28 Oct 2026.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ring-buffer: Fix the sub-buffer array base in rb_meta_subbuf_idx()
On a persistent ring buffer, rb_meta_subbuf_idx() can return an index one sub-buffer too high. rb_setup_ids_meta_page() then fills subbuf_ids[] shifted by one and leaves subbuf_ids[0] NULL, which __rb_map_vma() dereferences when userspace maps trace_pipe_raw. rb_update_meta_reader() writes two such indices into meta->buffers[], which rb_cpu_meta_valid() would reject on the next boot, discarding the previous boot's trace.
A CPU's sub-buffer array starts after its meta header and the nr_subbufs integers that follow, aligned up to a sub-buffer. rb_meta_subbuf_idx() inverts that calculation but skips only the integers, not the header, so its base is one sub-buffer low whenever the omitted header size crosses the alignment boundary.
Invert the calculation with rb_subbufs_from_meta() rather than repeating it. rb_range_buffer() maps an index back to an address through the same helper, so the two directions can no longer disagree.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-99159?
How do I fix CVE-2026-99159?
Upgrade to a fixed version.
Is CVE-2026-99159 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-99159 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2026-99159, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-99159, GHSA-pqhv-wx6p-7gp4, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-99159.