CVE-2026-98061bpf: Reject tail calls directly from callback frames

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Reject tail calls directly from callback frames A tail call from a non-zero frame is modeled as a return from that frame. The verifier makes R0 unknown and calls prepare_func_exit() for the taken branch. When the current frame is a synchronous callback, prepare_func_exit() enforces the callback return-value contract and marks R0 precise. Since the tail-call path synthesized R0 rather than deriving it from an instruction, precision backtracking reaches the callback-calling instruction with R0 still requested and triggers the "callback unexpected regs" verifier bug. A CAP_BPF task can therefore cause a WARN and an -EFAULT BPF_PROG_LOAD. Tail calls reachable from callbacks are already rejected later by check_max_stack_depth(). Reject a tail call made directly by a callback before constructing the inconsistent return state, using the existing diagnostic. Tail calls from ordinary subprograms keep their current behavior.

Affected packages & fixed versions

Affected products (as reported)

References

• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/617c8266e49f45747f71e74177646a63f72b7025
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/96d31b28263c429a56e4de85bcf744a5c320b3a3
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/266aa4ad0b2e82397cd9045752c9bff03d98eddd