CVE-2026-98813: bpf: Hold map BTF for the memory allocator destructor record
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
bpf: Hold map BTF for the memory allocator destructor record
bpf_ma_set_dtor() duplicates map->record so that the bpf_mem_alloc
destructor can release the special fields of hash and rhash map elements
once the allocator frees them for good. btf_record_dup() only acquires
references on kernel and module BTF. Fields whose types live in the map
BTF keep pointing into it: a kptr to a local type refers to map->btf,
and a list_head or rb_root field carries a value_rec owned by the struct
meta table of map->btf.
That borrowed state can outlive the map. When RCU callbacks are still in
flight, bpf_mem_alloc_destroy() copies the allocator and defers the final
drain, together with the destructor context, to a workqueue.
bpf_map_free() then frees map->record and drops the map's BTF reference
as soon as map_free() returns. Once the program that loaded the BTF is
gone as well, the BTF is freed while the worker still uses the
duplicate. The worker dereferences it through btf_is_kernel() and
btf_find_struct_meta() in bpf_obj_free_fields() when destroying elements
that were freed under RCU, and through btf_is_kernel() in
btf_record_free() when releasing the context itself:
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in btf_is_kernel+0x19/0x30
Read of size 1 at addr ffff88811505dce8 by task kworker/u16:2/50
Workqueue: events_unbound free_mem_alloc_deferred
Call Trace:
btf_is_kernel+0x19/0x30
btf_record_free+0xc7/0xf0
htab_dtor_ctx_free+0x1a/0x30
free_mem_alloc_no_barrier+0x39/0x230
free_mem_alloc_deferred+0x2a/0x40
process_scheduled_works+0x5ce/0x9d0
worker_thread+0x42a/0x5e0
kthread+0x1f5/0x230
ret_from_fork+0x1dd/0x390
ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30
Allocated by task 358:
__kmalloc_cache_noprof+0x287/0x510
btf_new_fd+0xf7/0x3d0
__sys_bpf+0x487/0x840
Freed by task 0:
kfree+0x186/0x560
rcu_core+0x6f6/0xd40
Freeing a map that still holds more elements than the allocator's high
watermark is enough to get there, because the bulk free during teardown
queues the RCU callback that makes bpf_mem_alloc_destroy() defer.
Non-preallocated hash maps and resizable hash maps both register the
destructor and are affected alike.
Keep one reference on the map BTF in the destructor context. Every
non-kernel pointer in the duplicated record is either map->btf or memory
owned by it, so a single reference covers kptrs, list heads, and rb
roots, and mirrors what bpf_map_meta_alloc() does for the duplicated
record of an inner map. Release it only after the duplicated record has
been freed: the worker is preemptible and not in an RCU read-side
critical section, so dropping the last reference first would let the
BTF be freed while btf_record_free() still reads its fields.
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
cve · low confidence lookup
CVE-2026-98813 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
0ADP providers
3Source links
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
Oct 18, 2026, 15:48 UTC (UTC+00:00)
CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.