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

iio: event: Fix event FIFO reset race

`iio_event_getfd()` creates the event file descriptor with
`anon_inode_getfd()`, which allocates a new fd, creates the anonymous
file and installs it in the process fd table before returning to the
caller.

The IIO code resets the event FIFO after `anon_inode_getfd()` has returned,
but before `IIO_GET_EVENT_FD_IOCTL` has copied the fd number to userspace.
But since fd tables are shared between threads, another thread can guess
the newly allocated fd number and issue a `read()` on it as soon as the fd
has been installed.

This means the `kfifo_to_user()` in `iio_event_chrdev_read()` can run in
parallel with the `kfifo_reset_out()` in `iio_event_getfd()`.

The kfifo documentation says that `kfifo_reset_out()` is only safe when it
is called from the reader thread and there is only one concurrent reader.
Otherwise it is dangerous and must be handled in the same way as
`kfifo_reset()`.

If that happens, `kfifo_to_user()` can advance the FIFO `out` index based
on state from before the reset, after the reset has already moved the `out`
index to the current `in` index. That can leave the FIFO with an `out`
index past the `in` index. A later `read()` can then see an underflowed
FIFO length and copy more data than the event FIFO buffer contains. This
can result in an out-of-bounds read and leak adjacent kernel memory to
userspace.

Move the FIFO reset before `anon_inode_getfd()`. At that point the event fd is
marked busy, but the new fd has not been installed yet, so userspace cannot
access it while the FIFO is reset.

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Sat, 25 Jul 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: iio: event: Fix event FIFO reset race `iio_event_getfd()` creates the event file descriptor with `anon_inode_getfd()`, which allocates a new fd, creates the anonymous file and installs it in the process fd table before returning to the caller. The IIO code resets the event FIFO after `anon_inode_getfd()` has returned, but before `IIO_GET_EVENT_FD_IOCTL` has copied the fd number to userspace. But since fd tables are shared between threads, another thread can guess the newly allocated fd number and issue a `read()` on it as soon as the fd has been installed. This means the `kfifo_to_user()` in `iio_event_chrdev_read()` can run in parallel with the `kfifo_reset_out()` in `iio_event_getfd()`. The kfifo documentation says that `kfifo_reset_out()` is only safe when it is called from the reader thread and there is only one concurrent reader. Otherwise it is dangerous and must be handled in the same way as `kfifo_reset()`. If that happens, `kfifo_to_user()` can advance the FIFO `out` index based on state from before the reset, after the reset has already moved the `out` index to the current `in` index. That can leave the FIFO with an `out` index past the `in` index. A later `read()` can then see an underflowed FIFO length and copy more data than the event FIFO buffer contains. This can result in an out-of-bounds read and leak adjacent kernel memory to userspace. Move the FIFO reset before `anon_inode_getfd()`. At that point the event fd is marked busy, but the new fd has not been installed yet, so userspace cannot access it while the FIFO is reset.
Title iio: event: Fix event FIFO reset race
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-07-25T08:51:53.194Z

Reserved: 2026-07-19T15:36:31.792Z

Link: CVE-2026-64496

cve-icon Vulnrichment

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cve-icon Redhat

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