CVE-2026-43326 PUBLISHED

sched_ext: Fix SCX_KICK_WAIT deadlock by deferring wait to balance callback

Assigner: Linux
Reserved: 01.05.2026 Published: 08.05.2026 Updated: 08.05.2026

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

sched_ext: Fix SCX_KICK_WAIT deadlock by deferring wait to balance callback

SCX_KICK_WAIT busy-waits in kick_cpus_irq_workfn() using smp_cond_load_acquire() until the target CPU's kick_sync advances. Because the irq_work runs in hardirq context, the waiting CPU cannot reschedule and its own kick_sync never advances. If multiple CPUs form a wait cycle, all CPUs deadlock.

Replace the busy-wait in kick_cpus_irq_workfn() with resched_curr() to force the CPU through do_pick_task_scx(), which queues a balance callback to perform the wait. The balance callback drops the rq lock and enables IRQs following the sched_core_balance() pattern, so the CPU can process IPIs while waiting. The local CPU's kick_sync is advanced on entry to do_pick_task_scx() and continuously during the wait, ensuring any CPU that starts waiting for us sees the advancement and cannot form cyclic dependencies.

Product Status

Vendor Linux
Product Linux
Versions Default: unaffected
  • affected from 90e55164dad42c6546b698c031697b224a320834 to c3a7903f65cf4c7fb0477eb0f8b94f326a47fe54 (excl.)
  • affected from 90e55164dad42c6546b698c031697b224a320834 to 415cb193bb9736f0e830286c72a6fa8eb2a9cc5c (excl.)
Vendor Linux
Product Linux
Versions Default: affected
  • Version 6.12 is affected
  • unaffected from 0 to 6.12 (excl.)
  • unaffected from 6.19.12 to 6.19.* (incl.)
  • unaffected from 7.0 to * (incl.)

References