CVE-2026-72068

posix-cpu-timers: Use u64 multiplication in update_rlimit_cpu()

State
Published
Severity
Not scored
Published
Aug 15, 2026
Updated
Aug 17, 2026
Reserved
Aug 9, 2026

Read the record on cve.org

Description

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

posix-cpu-timers: Use u64 multiplication in update_rlimit_cpu()

update_rlimit_cpu() converts the RLIMIT_CPU value to nanoseconds with

u64 nsecs = rlim_new * NSEC_PER_SEC;

On 32-bit kernels both rlim_new (unsigned long) and NSEC_PER_SEC (1000000000L) are 32-bit, so the multiplication is performed in unsigned long and truncated for rlim_new > 4 seconds before being widened to u64.

The same file already casts to u64 for the matching computation in check_process_timers():

u64 softns = (u64)soft * NSEC_PER_SEC;

As a result, the truncated value is installed into the CPUCLOCK_PROF expiry cache (nextevt), causing the process CPU timer to be programmed to fire prematurely for any RLIMIT_CPU soft limit >= 5 seconds. The actual SIGXCPU/SIGKILL decision in check_process_timers() already casts to u64 and is therefore correct, so limit enforcement is not broken; only the expiry-cache programming is wrong. Apply the same cast here so both paths convert rlim_cur identically.

64-bit kernels are unaffected.

Scores

The record has no CVSS score.

Weaknesses

The record names no weakness.

Affected Products

ProductVersions
LinuxLinux
  • 858cf3a8c59968e7c5f7c1a1192459a0d52d1ab4 to before feb5c87c8514444ba891b75a5a3eae57c64edaf8Affected
  • 858cf3a8c59968e7c5f7c1a1192459a0d52d1ab4 to before 384628d6cdde0fcd76868606fad3ad8293100afbAffected
  • 858cf3a8c59968e7c5f7c1a1192459a0d52d1ab4 to before 1fafc4d9b411645eb34de43362b966dc8fb3e263Affected
  • 858cf3a8c59968e7c5f7c1a1192459a0d52d1ab4 to before cff8281bacd2866767e6194c3079d33b6c5a74f4Affected
  • 858cf3a8c59968e7c5f7c1a1192459a0d52d1ab4 to before edf6babb9edd2d3e19229ade339081f439d4f478Affected
  • 858cf3a8c59968e7c5f7c1a1192459a0d52d1ab4 to before ea6a188ee805e841a0e242f14d15953e0dfa74bbAffected
  • 858cf3a8c59968e7c5f7c1a1192459a0d52d1ab4 to before 571e1f10b5996ba3e4dc63ea77de4aa309c384ceAffected
  • 858cf3a8c59968e7c5f7c1a1192459a0d52d1ab4 to before 26aff38fefb1d6cd87e22525f41cc8f1aa61b24fAffected
LinuxLinux
  • 4.11Affected
  • before 4.11Not affected
  • 5.10.261 through 5.10.*Not affected
  • 5.15.212 through 5.15.*Not affected
  • 6.1.178 through 6.1.*Not affected
  • 6.6.145 through 6.6.*Not affected
  • 6.12.97 through 6.12.*Not affected
  • 6.18.40 through 6.18.*Not affected
  • 7.1.5 through 7.1.*Not affected
  • 7.2 and laterNot affected

References

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