CVE-2026-98543

bpf: fs/xattr: don't assume the inode is locked in path_unlink/path_rmdir

HIGH
7.3
CVSS Score
Published: October 18, 2026 at 03:18 PM UTC
Updated: October 24, 2026 at 02:16 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
HIGH7.3
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: fs/xattr: don't assume the inode is locked in path_unlink/path_rmdir bpf_lsm_has_d_inode_locked() makes the verifier rewrite bpf_[set|remove]_dentry_xattr() to the _locked variants, which assume that the caller already holds the inode's i_rwsem. The path_unlink and path_rmdir hooks are listed, but security_path_unlink() and security_path_rmdir() run before vfs_unlink()/vfs_rmdir() take the victim inode's i_rwsem, so a sleepable BPF LSM program attached to either hook mutates the victim's xattrs without the lock held. Drop the two path hooks from d_inode_locked_hooks so that the verifier keeps the locking bpf_[set|remove]_dentry_xattr() variants, which take the lock themselves.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

56467292794b800164df20c076c409ac548e56ec6.15
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.18.55 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.2.9 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7.3 (unaffected)

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet, and no fixed version or vendor advisory is recorded against it.

CVSS

7.3HIGHLinux
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusRECEIVED

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