create_field_var_hist() creates a histogram on the matched event to supply a field variable, and records it on the target so it can be torn down later:
hist_data = find_compatible_hist(target_hist_data, file); ... /* Save the compatible histogram information */ var_hist->hist_data = hist_data;
hist_data is not the histogram it creates. It is one that was already there, whose keys the new one copies. The saved pointer has a single user, unregister_field_var_hists(), which runs when the target is removed:
file = hist_data->field_var_hists[i]->hist_data->event_file;
find_compatible_hist() matches on keys alone, so it can pick one with no variables of its own. check_var_refs() then returns false and the user can remove it while the target still points at it:
BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in event_hist_trigger_free+0x2b2/0x320 Read of size 8 at addr ffff8880093b90e0 by task init/1
Freed by task 1: kfree+0x154/0x420 event_hist_trigger_free+0x1d5/0x320 event_hist_trigger_parse+0x35f3/0x69e0 trigger_process_regex+0x1a6/0x250
Save the event file instead. It is all the dereference ever wanted, and it does not go away when the user removes a trigger.