kernel: cpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication

cve CVE-2026-97904 3 sources, 4 claims · Watch

Red Hat writes:
kernel: cpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication the claim

Severity they disagree: unknown GitHub advisories
low Red Hat
CVSS: 5.5 Red Hat
Vendor: Linux NVD
Product: Linux NVD
CWE: CWE-908 Red Hat

How far exploitation has got

No public code known
Proof of concept
Proof of concept, verified
A Metasploit module
Exploited in the wild
Used in ransomware campaigns

Timeline

2026-09-25	first spoke of it: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cpufreq: initialize policy...	GitHub advisories
2026-09-25	first spoke of it: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication cpufreq_policy_alloc() initializes policy->rwsem after kobject_init_and_add() has created the policy sysfs directory and its default attributes. A sysfs access can therefore reach a policy callback before the semaphore has been initialized. Initialize policy->rwsem before publishing the policy kobject so sysfs callbacks always see an initialized semaphore.	NVD
2026-09-25	first spoke of it: kernel: cpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication	Red Hat

What it is to other things

In words only, so not counted until a person confirms one:

affects	`linux/linux` NVD says “Linux · Linux”
made_by	`linux` NVD says “Linux”

Every value, with what each source said and its receipt

Property Source Said Means here

CVSS

cvss

Red Hat

5.5

receipt

Source: Red Hat
Its words: 5.5
Read by: field:cvss3_score
Said since: 2026-10-06 13:01 UTC
Last answered: 2026-10-06 13:02 UTC
Original: open at the source

What the source handed over

{
  "CVE": "CVE-2026-97904",
  "CWE": "CWE-908",
  "advisories": [],
  "affected_packages": [],
  "bugzilla": "2541241",
  "bugzilla_description": "kernel: cpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication",
  "cvss3_score": "5.5",
  "cvss3_scoring_vector": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
  "cvss_score": null,
  "cvss_scoring_vector": null,
  "package_state": null,
  "public_date": "2026-09-25T00:00:00Z",
  "resource_url": "https://access.redhat.com/hydra/rest/securitydata/cve/CVE-2026-97904.json",
  "severity": "low"
}

—

CVSS vector

cvss_vector

Red Hat

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

receipt

Source: Red Hat
Its words: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Read by: field:cvss3_scoring_vector
Said since: 2026-10-06 13:01 UTC
Last answered: 2026-10-06 13:02 UTC
Original: open at the source

What the source handed over

{
  "CVE": "CVE-2026-97904",
  "CWE": "CWE-908",
  "advisories": [],
  "affected_packages": [],
  "bugzilla": "2541241",
  "bugzilla_description": "kernel: cpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication",
  "cvss3_score": "5.5",
  "cvss3_scoring_vector": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
  "cvss_score": null,
  "cvss_scoring_vector": null,
  "package_state": null,
  "public_date": "2026-09-25T00:00:00Z",
  "resource_url": "https://access.redhat.com/hydra/rest/securitydata/cve/CVE-2026-97904.json",
  "severity": "low"
}

—

CWE

cwe

Red Hat

CWE-908

receipt

Source: Red Hat
Its words: CWE-908
Read by: field:CWE
Said since: 2026-10-06 13:01 UTC
Last answered: 2026-10-06 13:02 UTC
Original: open at the source

What the source handed over

{
  "CVE": "CVE-2026-97904",
  "CWE": "CWE-908",
  "advisories": [],
  "affected_packages": [],
  "bugzilla": "2541241",
  "bugzilla_description": "kernel: cpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication",
  "cvss3_score": "5.5",
  "cvss3_scoring_vector": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
  "cvss_score": null,
  "cvss_scoring_vector": null,
  "package_state": null,
  "public_date": "2026-09-25T00:00:00Z",
  "resource_url": "https://access.redhat.com/hydra/rest/securitydata/cve/CVE-2026-97904.json",
  "severity": "low"
}

—

Product

product

NVD

Linux

receipt

Source: NVD
Its words: Linux
Read by: field:cve.affected[].affectedData[].product
Said since: 2026-09-29 17:49 UTC
Last answered: 2026-10-06 12:41 UTC
Original: open at the source

2026-09-29 17:49 UTC	Linux
2026-09-29 09:45 UTC	—

What the source handed over

{
  "cve": {
    "affected": [
      {
        "affectedData": [
          {
            "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
            "product": "Linux",
            "programFiles": [
              "drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c"
            ],
            "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
            "vendor": "Linux",
            "versions": [
              {
                "lessThan": "dc11263cb05ed519758fd135fe08d611bad1f241",
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "2fc3384dc75bf7333384c7a16d12c796f61c3f56",
                "versionType": "git"
              },
              {
                "lessThan": "27c9b491bf7604e83b50c3bbfa18a30266ff345f",
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "2fc3384dc75bf7333384c7a16d12c796f61c3f56",
                "versionType": "git"
              },
              {
                "lessThan": "2cee937f779f69b195b37bbec1e888da9bfe9d58",
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "2fc3384dc75bf7333384c7a16d12c796f61c3f56",
                "versionType": "git"
              },
              {
                "lessThan": "3e5d1bf4bd687beb2cb4e32a07af695455925588",
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "2fc3384dc75bf7333384c7a16d12c796f61c3f56",
                "versionType": "git"
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "defaultStatus": "affected",
            "product": "Linux",
            "programFiles": [
              "drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c"
            ],
            "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
            "vendor": "Linux",
            "versions": [
              {
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "4.2"
              },
              {
                "lessThan": "4.2",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "0",
                "versionType": "semver"
              },
              {
                "lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "6.12.111",
                "versionType": "semver"
              },
              {
                "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "6.18.53",
                "versionType": "semver"
              },
              {
                "lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "7.2.7",
                "versionType": "semver"
              },
              {
                "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "7.3-rc3",
                "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
              }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
      }
    ],
    "cveTags": [],
    "descriptions": [
      {
        "lang": "en",
        "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\ncpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication\n\ncpufreq_policy_alloc() initializes policy->rwsem after\nkobject_init_and_add() has created the policy sysfs directory and its\ndefault attributes. A sysfs access can therefore reach a policy callback\nbefore the semaphore has been initialized.\n\nInitialize policy->rwsem before publishing the policy kobject so sysfs\ncallbacks always see an initialized semaphore."
      }
    ],
    "id": "CVE-2026-97904",
    "lastModified": "2026-09-25T11:17:17.293",
    "metrics": {},
    "published": "2026-09-25T11:17:17.293",
    "references": [
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/27c9b491bf7604e83b50c3bbfa18a30266ff345f"
      },
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2cee937f779f69b195b37bbec1e888da9bfe9d58"
      },
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3e5d1bf4bd687beb2cb4e32a07af695455925588"
      },
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc11263cb05ed519758fd135fe08d611bad1f241"
      }
    ],
    "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "vulnStatus": "Received"
  }
}

—

Severity

severity

conflict

GitHub advisories

unknown

receipt

Source: GitHub advisories
Said since: 2026-09-26 15:00 UTC
Last answered: 2026-10-06 13:46 UTC
Original: open at the source

This source has not kept a receipt for this claim yet. The next update that reads it will.

—

Severity

severity

conflict

Red Hat

low

A flaw that is unlikely to be exploited, or whose impact is minimal.

receipt

Source: Red Hat
Its words: low
Read by: field:severity
Said since: 2026-10-06 13:01 UTC
Last answered: 2026-10-06 13:02 UTC
Original: open at the source

What the source handed over

{
  "CVE": "CVE-2026-97904",
  "CWE": "CWE-908",
  "advisories": [],
  "affected_packages": [],
  "bugzilla": "2541241",
  "bugzilla_description": "kernel: cpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication",
  "cvss3_score": "5.5",
  "cvss3_scoring_vector": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
  "cvss_score": null,
  "cvss_scoring_vector": null,
  "package_state": null,
  "public_date": "2026-09-25T00:00:00Z",
  "resource_url": "https://access.redhat.com/hydra/rest/securitydata/cve/CVE-2026-97904.json",
  "severity": "low"
}

—

Status

status

NVD

Received

receipt

Source: NVD
Its words: Received
Read by: field:cve.vulnStatus
Said since: 2026-09-29 09:45 UTC
Last answered: 2026-10-06 12:41 UTC
Original: open at the source

What the source handed over

{
  "cve": {
    "affected": [
      {
        "affectedData": [
          {
            "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
            "product": "Linux",
            "programFiles": [
              "drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c"
            ],
            "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
            "vendor": "Linux",
            "versions": [
              {
                "lessThan": "dc11263cb05ed519758fd135fe08d611bad1f241",
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "2fc3384dc75bf7333384c7a16d12c796f61c3f56",
                "versionType": "git"
              },
              {
                "lessThan": "27c9b491bf7604e83b50c3bbfa18a30266ff345f",
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "2fc3384dc75bf7333384c7a16d12c796f61c3f56",
                "versionType": "git"
              },
              {
                "lessThan": "2cee937f779f69b195b37bbec1e888da9bfe9d58",
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "2fc3384dc75bf7333384c7a16d12c796f61c3f56",
                "versionType": "git"
              },
              {
                "lessThan": "3e5d1bf4bd687beb2cb4e32a07af695455925588",
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "2fc3384dc75bf7333384c7a16d12c796f61c3f56",
                "versionType": "git"
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "defaultStatus": "affected",
            "product": "Linux",
            "programFiles": [
              "drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c"
            ],
            "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
            "vendor": "Linux",
            "versions": [
              {
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "4.2"
              },
              {
                "lessThan": "4.2",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "0",
                "versionType": "semver"
              },
              {
                "lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "6.12.111",
                "versionType": "semver"
              },
              {
                "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "6.18.53",
                "versionType": "semver"
              },
              {
                "lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "7.2.7",
                "versionType": "semver"
              },
              {
                "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "7.3-rc3",
                "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
              }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
      }
    ],
    "cveTags": [],
    "descriptions": [
      {
        "lang": "en",
        "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\ncpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication\n\ncpufreq_policy_alloc() initializes policy->rwsem after\nkobject_init_and_add() has created the policy sysfs directory and its\ndefault attributes. A sysfs access can therefore reach a policy callback\nbefore the semaphore has been initialized.\n\nInitialize policy->rwsem before publishing the policy kobject so sysfs\ncallbacks always see an initialized semaphore."
      }
    ],
    "id": "CVE-2026-97904",
    "lastModified": "2026-09-25T11:17:17.293",
    "metrics": {},
    "published": "2026-09-25T11:17:17.293",
    "references": [
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/27c9b491bf7604e83b50c3bbfa18a30266ff345f"
      },
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2cee937f779f69b195b37bbec1e888da9bfe9d58"
      },
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3e5d1bf4bd687beb2cb4e32a07af695455925588"
      },
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc11263cb05ed519758fd135fe08d611bad1f241"
      }
    ],
    "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "vulnStatus": "Received"
  }
}

—

Vendor

vendor

NVD

Linux

receipt

Source: NVD
Its words: Linux
Read by: field:cve.affected[].affectedData[].vendor
Said since: 2026-09-29 17:49 UTC
Last answered: 2026-10-06 12:41 UTC
Original: open at the source

2026-09-29 17:49 UTC	Linux
2026-09-29 09:45 UTC	—

What the source handed over

{
  "cve": {
    "affected": [
      {
        "affectedData": [
          {
            "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
            "product": "Linux",
            "programFiles": [
              "drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c"
            ],
            "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
            "vendor": "Linux",
            "versions": [
              {
                "lessThan": "dc11263cb05ed519758fd135fe08d611bad1f241",
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "2fc3384dc75bf7333384c7a16d12c796f61c3f56",
                "versionType": "git"
              },
              {
                "lessThan": "27c9b491bf7604e83b50c3bbfa18a30266ff345f",
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "2fc3384dc75bf7333384c7a16d12c796f61c3f56",
                "versionType": "git"
              },
              {
                "lessThan": "2cee937f779f69b195b37bbec1e888da9bfe9d58",
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "2fc3384dc75bf7333384c7a16d12c796f61c3f56",
                "versionType": "git"
              },
              {
                "lessThan": "3e5d1bf4bd687beb2cb4e32a07af695455925588",
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "2fc3384dc75bf7333384c7a16d12c796f61c3f56",
                "versionType": "git"
              }
            ]
          },
          {
            "defaultStatus": "affected",
            "product": "Linux",
            "programFiles": [
              "drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c"
            ],
            "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
            "vendor": "Linux",
            "versions": [
              {
                "status": "affected",
                "version": "4.2"
              },
              {
                "lessThan": "4.2",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "0",
                "versionType": "semver"
              },
              {
                "lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "6.12.111",
                "versionType": "semver"
              },
              {
                "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "6.18.53",
                "versionType": "semver"
              },
              {
                "lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "7.2.7",
                "versionType": "semver"
              },
              {
                "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
                "status": "unaffected",
                "version": "7.3-rc3",
                "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
              }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67"
      }
    ],
    "cveTags": [],
    "descriptions": [
      {
        "lang": "en",
        "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\ncpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication\n\ncpufreq_policy_alloc() initializes policy->rwsem after\nkobject_init_and_add() has created the policy sysfs directory and its\ndefault attributes. A sysfs access can therefore reach a policy callback\nbefore the semaphore has been initialized.\n\nInitialize policy->rwsem before publishing the policy kobject so sysfs\ncallbacks always see an initialized semaphore."
      }
    ],
    "id": "CVE-2026-97904",
    "lastModified": "2026-09-25T11:17:17.293",
    "metrics": {},
    "published": "2026-09-25T11:17:17.293",
    "references": [
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/27c9b491bf7604e83b50c3bbfa18a30266ff345f"
      },
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2cee937f779f69b195b37bbec1e888da9bfe9d58"
      },
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3e5d1bf4bd687beb2cb4e32a07af695455925588"
      },
      {
        "source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc11263cb05ed519758fd135fe08d611bad1f241"
      }
    ],
    "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "vulnStatus": "Received"
  }
}

—

Every claim, by kind

vulnerability

kernel: cpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication zetlyn/cve-redhat · 2026-09-25	cvss 5.5 cvss_vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H cwe CWE-908 severity low	source
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cpufreq: initialize policy rwsem before sysfs publication cpufreq_policy_alloc() initializes policy->rwsem after kobject_init_and_add() has created the policy sysfs directory and its default attributes. A sysfs access can therefore reach a policy callback before the semaphore has been initialized. Initialize policy->rwsem before publishing the policy kobject so sysfs callbacks always see an initialized semaphore. zetlyn/cve-nvd · 2026-09-25	product Linux status Received vendor Linux	source
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cpufreq: initialize policy... zetlyn/cve-ghsa · 2026-09-25	severity unknown	source
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cpufreq: initialize policy... zetlyn/cve-ghsa · 2026-09-25	severity unknown	source