Pin request_key_auth payload in instantiate paths
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: keys: Pin request_key_auth payload in instantiate paths A: request_key() B: KEYCTL_INSTANTIATE_IOV ================ ========================= create auth key store rka in auth key wait for helper get auth key load rka from auth key copy user payload sleep on #PF helper completed detach and free rka destroy auth key wake up use rka->target_key **USE-AFTER-FREE** Give request_key_auth payloads a refcount. Take a payload reference while authkey->sem stabilizes the payload and revocation state. Hold that reference across the instantiate and reject paths. Drop the auth key owning reference from revoke and destroy. [jarkko: Replaced the first two paragraphs of text with an actual concurrency scenario.] This flaw occurs when the system attempts to use a key authorization payload after it has been released, which can lead to system instability or crashes. A local attacker could potentially exploit this to cause a denial of service or escalate their privileges. Red Hat severity: Moderate — CVSS 7 (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H). Weakness: CWE-825. Affected Red Hat products: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9. Will not fix / out of support: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.
What this means
In plain English
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: keys: Pin request_key_auth payload in instantiate paths A: request_key() B: KEYCTL_INSTANTIATE_IOV ================ ========================= create auth key store rka in auth key wait for helper get auth key load rka from auth key copy user payload sleep on #PF helper completed detach and free rka destroy auth key wake up use rka->target_key **USE-AFTER-FREE** Give request_key_auth payloads a refcount. Take a payload reference while authkey->sem stabilizes the payload and revocation state. Hold that reference across the instantiate and reject paths. The official description requires local access to the affected system. Successful exploitation can interrupt the affected service or exhaust resources, reducing availability until the component recovers.
Recommended action
The parsed official advisory does not currently specify a fixed release, mitigation, or workaround. Review the linked vendor advisory for the latest guidance before making changes.
Rewritten locally from the scraped official advisory data above; no generative API is used. The vendor advisory is authoritative.
Affected versions
No affected-version range was extracted from the source record. The vendor advisory is authoritative — check it before change work.
Official advisory · medium-confidence parse· fetched 31 minutes ago·verify at source
Fixed versions
No fixed release is recorded yet. That does not prove no patch exists — confirm against the vendor advisory.
Official advisory · medium-confidence parse· fetched 31 minutes ago·verify at source
Mitigation
The source record does not include mitigation steps. That is not a statement that no fix exists — read the vendor advisory below for the authoritative guidance.
Official advisory · medium-confidence parse· fetched 31 minutes ago·verify at source
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