CVE-2026-89768
fs: fix user path of nested backing files
Published Sep 11, 2026
CVSS 3.1 · 2.3 Low
EPSS < 1%
KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
fs: fix user path of nested backing files
backing_file_open() derives the path to be stored in the new backing
file from user_file->f_path. This is incorrect when user_file itself
is a backing file, which is the case for nested stacking filesystems,
e.g. overlayfs mounts where the lowerdir of one overlayfs is the merged
directory of another. Since commit def3ae83da02 ("fs: store real path
instead of fake path in backing file f_path") the f_path of a backing
file holds the real path of the intermediate layer, not the path that
the user opened.
Commit 924577e4f6ca ("ovl: Fix nested backing file paths") fixed this
for such configurations by passing file_user_path() from
ovl_open_realfile(). However, commit 6af36aeb147a ("lsm: add
backing_file LSM hooks") changed the first argument of
backing_file_open() from the user path back to the user file and
derived the path from user_file->f_path again, silently re-introducing
the problem.
As a result, files mapped through a nested overlayfs show the wrong
path in /proc/<pid>/maps and in perf/ftrace mmap records. For example,
with two nested overlayfs mounts:
mkdir -p /ovl/{lower,upper,work,merged} /ovl/nested
echo hello > /ovl/lower/foo
mount -t overlay overlay \
-o lowerdir=/ovl/lower,upperdir=/ovl/upper,workdir=/ovl/work \
/ovl/merged
# at least two lowerdirs are needed when upperdir is nonexistent
mount -t overlay overlay \
-o lowerdir=/ovl/merged:/ovl/lower /ovl/nested
mapping /ovl/nested/foo shows a disconnected path instead of the user
path:
# readlink /proc/self/fd/3
/ovl/nested/foo
# grep foo /proc/self/maps
7f6e2c100000-7f6e2c101000 r--s 00000000 00:24 15813027 /foo
The bogus path is derived from the f_path of the intermediate backing
file, whose mount is a private clone that d_path() cannot resolve.
Fix this by using file_user_path(), which returns the outermost
user-visible path for backing files and falls back to
&user_file->f_path for regular files. This restores the behavior of
commit 924577e4f6ca ("ovl: Fix nested backing file paths") for
overlayfs and also fixes the same problem for the other
backing_file_open() callers, fuse passthrough and erofs ishare, when
their user file is itself a backing file.
backing_tmpfile_open() has the same pattern but is not affected: it is
only called by ovl_create_tmpfile() for the upper layer, and another
overlayfs is rejected as upperdir by the DCACHE_OP_REAL check in
ovl_mount_dir_check(), so its user_file can never be a backing file.
fs: fix user path of nested backing files
backing_file_open() derives the path to be stored in the new backing
file from user_file->f_path. This is incorrect when user_file itself
is a backing file, which is the case for nested stacking filesystems,
e.g. overlayfs mounts where the lowerdir of one overlayfs is the merged
directory of another. Since commit def3ae83da02 ("fs: store real path
instead of fake path in backing file f_path") the f_path of a backing
file holds the real path of the intermediate layer, not the path that
the user opened.
Commit 924577e4f6ca ("ovl: Fix nested backing file paths") fixed this
for such configurations by passing file_user_path() from
ovl_open_realfile(). However, commit 6af36aeb147a ("lsm: add
backing_file LSM hooks") changed the first argument of
backing_file_open() from the user path back to the user file and
derived the path from user_file->f_path again, silently re-introducing
the problem.
As a result, files mapped through a nested overlayfs show the wrong
path in /proc/<pid>/maps and in perf/ftrace mmap records. For example,
with two nested overlayfs mounts:
mkdir -p /ovl/{lower,upper,work,merged} /ovl/nested
echo hello > /ovl/lower/foo
mount -t overlay overlay \
-o lowerdir=/ovl/lower,upperdir=/ovl/upper,workdir=/ovl/work \
/ovl/merged
# at least two lowerdirs are needed when upperdir is nonexistent
mount -t overlay overlay \
-o lowerdir=/ovl/merged:/ovl/lower /ovl/nested
mapping /ovl/nested/foo shows a disconnected path instead of the user
path:
# readlink /proc/self/fd/3
/ovl/nested/foo
# grep foo /proc/self/maps
7f6e2c100000-7f6e2c101000 r--s 00000000 00:24 15813027 /foo
The bogus path is derived from the f_path of the intermediate backing
file, whose mount is a private clone that d_path() cannot resolve.
Fix this by using file_user_path(), which returns the outermost
user-visible path for backing files and falls back to
&user_file->f_path for regular files. This restores the behavior of
commit 924577e4f6ca ("ovl: Fix nested backing file paths") for
overlayfs and also fixes the same problem for the other
backing_file_open() callers, fuse passthrough and erofs ishare, when
their user file is itself a backing file.
backing_tmpfile_open() has the same pattern but is not affected: it is
only called by ovl_create_tmpfile() for the upper layer, and another
overlayfs is rejected as upperdir by the DCACHE_OP_REAL check in
ovl_mount_dir_check(), so its user_file can never be a backing file.
Affected Products
-
CVE record
-
NVD configurations
No data
-
Red Hat packages
No data
-
OpenCVE enrichment
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
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| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
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| Linux | Linux | affected |
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No data.
No data.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux Kernel |
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| Linux | Linux Kernel |
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Remediation
Tracking
Advisories
| Source | ID | Title |
|---|---|---|
 Debian DLA |
DLA-4817-1 | linux-6.12 security update |
 Debian DSA |
DSA-6528-1 | linux security update |
 Ubuntu USN |
USN-9019-1 | Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities |
| Ubuntu USN |
USN-9020-1 | Linux kernel vulnerabilities |
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0
Attack Vector Local
Attack Complexity Low
Privileges Required High
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact Low
Integrity Impact None
Availability Impact None
User Interaction None
No CVSS v3.0
No CVSS v2
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
Exploit prediction score: < 1% (0.191% probability within 30 days)
Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.
References
History
Sep 12, 2026 12:15 AM
Weaknesses updated. Added references. Scoring metrics updated
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Weaknesses | CWE-41 | |
| References |
| |
| Metrics |
threat_severity
|
cvssV3_1
|
Sep 11, 2026 11:45 PM
Description updated. Title updated. First appearance in the feed. Affected versions updated. Affected vendors updated. Added references
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs: fix user path of nested backing files backing_file_open() derives the path to be stored in the new backing file from user_file->f_path. This is incorrect when user_file itself is a backing file, which is the case for nested stacking filesystems, e.g. overlayfs mounts where the lowerdir of one overlayfs is the merged directory of another. Since commit def3ae83da02 ("fs: store real path instead of fake path in backing file f_path") the f_path of a backing file holds the real path of the intermediate layer, not the path that the user opened. Commit 924577e4f6ca ("ovl: Fix nested backing file paths") fixed this for such configurations by passing file_user_path() from ovl_open_realfile(). However, commit 6af36aeb147a ("lsm: add backing_file LSM hooks") changed the first argument of backing_file_open() from the user path back to the user file and derived the path from user_file->f_path again, silently re-introducing the problem. As a result, files mapped through a nested overlayfs show the wrong path in /proc/<pid>/maps and in perf/ftrace mmap records. For example, with two nested overlayfs mounts: mkdir -p /ovl/{lower,upper,work,merged} /ovl/nested echo hello > /ovl/lower/foo mount -t overlay overlay \ -o lowerdir=/ovl/lower,upperdir=/ovl/upper,workdir=/ovl/work \ /ovl/merged # at least two lowerdirs are needed when upperdir is nonexistent mount -t overlay overlay \ -o lowerdir=/ovl/merged:/ovl/lower /ovl/nested mapping /ovl/nested/foo shows a disconnected path instead of the user path: # readlink /proc/self/fd/3 /ovl/nested/foo # grep foo /proc/self/maps 7f6e2c100000-7f6e2c101000 r--s 00000000 00:24 15813027 /foo The bogus path is derived from the f_path of the intermediate backing file, whose mount is a private clone that d_path() cannot resolve. Fix this by using file_user_path(), which returns the outermost user-visible path for backing files and falls back to &user_file->f_path for regular files. This restores the behavior of commit 924577e4f6ca ("ovl: Fix nested backing file paths") for overlayfs and also fixes the same problem for the other backing_file_open() callers, fuse passthrough and erofs ishare, when their user file is itself a backing file. backing_tmpfile_open() has the same pattern but is not affected: it is only called by ovl_create_tmpfile() for the upper layer, and another overlayfs is rejected as upperdir by the DCACHE_OP_REAL check in ovl_mount_dir_check(), so its user_file can never be a backing file. | |
| Title | fs: fix user path of nested backing files | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Subscriptions
Weaknesses
