CVE-2026-31446

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

Published Apr 22, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.8 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
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.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

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
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8567-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8574-1 Linux kernel (GCP FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8575-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8576-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8574-2 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8595-1 Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8596-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8575-2 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8576-2 Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8575-3 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8595-2 Linux kernel (AWS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8606-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8607-1 Linux kernel (Azure CVM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8608-1 Linux kernel (Azure FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8609-1 Linux kernel (Azure CVM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8610-1 Linux kernel (Azure CVM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8574-3 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8595-3 Linux kernel (AWS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8619-1 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8620-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8620-2 Linux kernel (Azure FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8620-3 Linux kernel (Intel IoTG) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8620-4 Linux kernel (Intel IoTG) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8665-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8668-1 Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8668-2 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

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:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416
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'}

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

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416
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
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Nov 10, 2026, 12:44 PM
Reserved
Mar 9, 2026, 3:48 PM
Status
Modified
Published
Apr 22, 2026, 2:16 PM
Modified
Nov 11, 2026, 11:10 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Apr 22, 2026, 12:00 AM