CVE-2026-80521 - af_unix: Unlink scc_entry in unix_del_edge().
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
af_unix: Unlink scc_entry in unix_del_edge().
Kyle Zeng reported that GC could free a dead SCC partially.
The scenario is as follows:
1) Create two SCCs:
X -. A <-> B
^--'
2) Run the following concurrently:
2-1) send() sk-B to sk-B from sk-X
2-2) close() both A and B
At 2-1), there is a small window where unix_add_edges()
publishes a new edge (B <-> B) to GC but its skb is not queued
by skb_queue_tail().
If 2-2) completes before skb_queue_tail() and GC is triggered,
it judges A <-> B as dead, but B is not freed because GC cannot
collect the not-yet-queued skb holding the B <-> B edge.
X -. A <-> B -. This edge is visible
^--' ^..' but skb is not
This itself is not a problem since the next GC run will judge
B as dead as well and free it finally.
X -. A <.> B -.
^--' ^--'
However, X's SCC forces the next GC to call unix_walk_scc_fast(),
and it iterates over A through B's scc_entry.
Let's unlink scc_entry before freeing the vertex in unix_del_edge().
Published: Aug 26, 2026 15:17
Last Modified: Oct 03, 2026 11:17
