Rust Proposal Aims to Reduce Linux Kernel CVEs by 80%

At RustWeek 2026, Greg Kroah-Hartman discussed a Rust-based proposal that could potentially eliminate up to 80% of the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) associated with the Linux kernel. The proposal focuses on addressing the core issue of untrusted data, which has historically been poorly managed in C. Kroah-Hartman, a key figure in the Linux kernel community, highlighted that Rust's compile-time checks could prevent many kernel bugs, including those caused by failing to check error return values and improper lock handling. He estimates that these two issues alone account for around 60% of kernel vulnerabilities. The proposed Rust type, called Untrusted, would enforce validation of incoming data, making the boundary between trusted and untrusted data explicit. Although the proposal is still in development and not yet merged into the kernel, it represents a significant step towards improving kernel security. The Rust community is encouraged to contribute to this initiative. Current Linux users may benefit from a reduction in security updates related to these vulnerabilities once implemented.

Key Points: • A Rust-based proposal could eliminate up to 80% of Linux kernel CVEs. • The core issue addressed is the handling of untrusted data in the kernel. • The proposed Rust type, Untrusted, enforces data validation at compile time.