CVE-2026-43392

sched_ext: Fix starvation of scx_enable() under fair-class saturation

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: May 8, 2026 at 02:21 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 10:49 AM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.1%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched_ext: Fix starvation of scx_enable() under fair-class saturation During scx_enable(), the READY -> ENABLED task switching loop changes the calling thread's sched_class from fair to ext. Since fair has higher priority than ext, saturating fair-class workloads can indefinitely starve the enable thread, hanging the system. This was introduced when the enable path switched from preempt_disable() to scx_bypass() which doesn't protect against fair-class starvation. Note that the original preempt_disable() protection wasn't complete either - in partial switch modes, the calling thread could still be starved after preempt_enable() as it may have been switched to ext class. Fix it by offloading the enable body to a dedicated system-wide RT (SCHED_FIFO) kthread which cannot be starved by either fair or ext class tasks. scx_enable() lazily creates the kthread on first use and passes the ops pointer through a struct scx_enable_cmd containing the kthread_work, then synchronously waits for completion. The workfn runs on a different kthread from sch->helper (which runs disable_work), so it can safely flush disable_work on the error path without deadlock.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

6.12 ≤ v < 6.12.786.12 ≤ v < 6.18.206.12 ≤ v < 6.19.96.12 ≤ v < 7.06.12.1 ≤ v < 6.12.786.13 ≤ v < 6.18.206.19 ≤ v < 6.19.96.126.12 rc26.12 rc36.12 rc46.12 rc56.12 rc66.12 rc77.0 rc17.0 rc28c2090c504e998c8f34ec870bae71dafcc96a6e0
Vendor states this is fixed in 05ab9ec5dc24f234e0a2fecf3e6ff937c68f7d81 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in b06ccbabe2506fd70b9167a644978b049150224a (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in c44198f25fdfecc0ec0fe366bf8a47fe17d8e229 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in e0b14bf06393be137d3efb6a3b7cd5b4b9810a6b (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.12 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.12.78 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.18.20 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.19.9 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.0 (unaffected)

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
NVD-CWE-noinfo

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