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

ext4: fix use-after-free in update_super_work when racing with umount

Commit b98535d09179 ("ext4: fix bug_on in start_this_handle during umount
filesystem") moved ext4_unregister_sysfs() before flushing s_sb_upd_work
to prevent new error work from being queued via /proc/fs/ext4/xx/mb_groups
reads during unmount. However, this introduced a use-after-free because
update_super_work calls ext4_notify_error_sysfs() -> sysfs_notify() which
accesses the kobject's kernfs_node after it has been freed by kobject_del()
in ext4_unregister_sysfs():

update_super_work ext4_put_super
----------------- --------------
ext4_unregister_sysfs(sb)
kobject_del(&sbi->s_kobj)
__kobject_del()
sysfs_remove_dir()
kobj->sd = NULL
sysfs_put(sd)
kernfs_put() // RCU free
ext4_notify_error_sysfs(sbi)
sysfs_notify(&sbi->s_kobj)
kn = kobj->sd // stale pointer
kernfs_get(kn) // UAF on freed kernfs_node
ext4_journal_destroy()
flush_work(&sbi->s_sb_upd_work)

Instead of reordering the teardown sequence, fix this by making
ext4_notify_error_sysfs() detect that sysfs has already been torn down
by checking s_kobj.state_in_sysfs, and skipping the sysfs_notify() call
in that case. A dedicated mutex (s_error_notify_mutex) serializes
ext4_notify_error_sysfs() against kobject_del() in ext4_unregister_sysfs()
to prevent TOCTOU races where the kobject could be deleted between the
state_in_sysfs check and the sysfs_notify() call.
Published: 2026-04-22
Score: 7.8 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4561-1 linux-6.1 security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6238-1 linux security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6243-1 linux security update
History

Thu, 07 May 2026 19:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.18:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.18:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.18:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.18:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.18:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.18:rc9:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 21:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}


Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-825
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate


Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix use-after-free in update_super_work when racing with umount Commit b98535d09179 ("ext4: fix bug_on in start_this_handle during umount filesystem") moved ext4_unregister_sysfs() before flushing s_sb_upd_work to prevent new error work from being queued via /proc/fs/ext4/xx/mb_groups reads during unmount. However, this introduced a use-after-free because update_super_work calls ext4_notify_error_sysfs() -> sysfs_notify() which accesses the kobject's kernfs_node after it has been freed by kobject_del() in ext4_unregister_sysfs(): update_super_work ext4_put_super ----------------- -------------- ext4_unregister_sysfs(sb) kobject_del(&sbi->s_kobj) __kobject_del() sysfs_remove_dir() kobj->sd = NULL sysfs_put(sd) kernfs_put() // RCU free ext4_notify_error_sysfs(sbi) sysfs_notify(&sbi->s_kobj) kn = kobj->sd // stale pointer kernfs_get(kn) // UAF on freed kernfs_node ext4_journal_destroy() flush_work(&sbi->s_sb_upd_work) Instead of reordering the teardown sequence, fix this by making ext4_notify_error_sysfs() detect that sysfs has already been torn down by checking s_kobj.state_in_sysfs, and skipping the sysfs_notify() call in that case. A dedicated mutex (s_error_notify_mutex) serializes ext4_notify_error_sysfs() against kobject_del() in ext4_unregister_sysfs() to prevent TOCTOU races where the kobject could be deleted between the state_in_sysfs check and the sysfs_notify() call.
Title ext4: fix use-after-free in update_super_work when racing with umount
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-05-11T22:08:51.921Z

Reserved: 2026-03-09T15:48:24.091Z

Link: CVE-2026-31446

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2026-04-22T14:16:38.340

Modified: 2026-05-07T19:21:44.833

Link: CVE-2026-31446

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2026-04-22T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2026-31446 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-05-07T20:30:15Z

Weaknesses