CVE-2026-53163: locking/rtmutex: Skip remove_waiter() when waiter is not enqueued
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
locking/rtmutex: Skip removewaiter() when waiter is not enqueued
syzbot triggered the following splat in removewaiter() via FUTEXCMPREQUEUEPI:
KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000a88-0x0000000000000a8f] classrawspinlockconstructor removewaiter+0x159/0x1200 kernel/locking/rtmutex.c:1561 rtmutexstartproxylock+0x103/0x120 futexrequeue+0x10e4/0x20d0 x64sysfutex+0x34f/0x4d0
taskblocksonrtmutex() does not arm the waiter upon deadlock detection, leaving waiter->task nil, where 3bfdc63936dd ("rtmutex: Use waiter::task instead of current in removewaiter()") made this fatal.
Furthermore, rtmutexstartproxylock() should not be calling into removewaiter() upon a successfully grabbing the rtmutex. 1a1fb985f2e2 ("futex: Handle early deadlock return correctly"), moved the removewaiter() out of rtmutexstartproxylock() (where 'ret' was only ever 0 or < 0) into the wrapper. Tighten this check to account for trytotakertmutex().
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade to a fixed release to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.6.144.1-1 - Upgrade
Upgrade
Linux kernel futex/rtmutexto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Patch 1a1fb985f2e2 - Upgrade
Upgrade
Linux kernel fix for null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000a88-0x0000000000000a8f]to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Patch 3bfdc63936dd
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-53163?
The severity of CVE-2026-53163 is categorized as 37.
How do I fix CVE-2026-53163?
To fix CVE-2026-53163, update to the latest version of the Linux kernel that addresses this vulnerability.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-53163?
CVE-2026-53163 is a null pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's locking mechanism.
Who can be affected by CVE-2026-53163?
Systems running affected versions of the Linux kernel may be at risk from CVE-2026-53163.
When was CVE-2026-53163 published?
CVE-2026-53163 was published on June 25, 2026.