ceph: add a bunch of missing ceph_path_info initializers
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-476.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ceph: add a bunch of missing ceph_path_info initializers ceph_mdsc_build_path() must be called with a zero-initialized ceph_path_info parameter, or else the following ceph_mdsc_free_path_info() may crash. Example crash (on Linux 6.18.12): virt_to_cache: Object is not a Slab page! WARNING: CPU: 184 PID: 2871736 at mm/slub.c:6732 kmem_cache_free+0x316/0x400 [...] Call Trace: [...] ceph_open+0x13d/0x3e0 do_dentry_open+0x134/0x480 vfs_open+0x2a/0xe0 path_openat+0x9a3/0x1160 [...] cache_from_obj: Wrong slab cache. names_cache but object is from ceph_inode_info WARNING: CPU: 184 PID: 2871736 at mm/slub.c:6746 kmem_cache_free+0x2dd/0x400 [...] kernel BUG at mm/slub.c:634! Oops: invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI RIP: 0010:__slab_free+0x1a4/0x350 Some of the ceph_mdsc_build_path() callers had initializers, but others had not, even though they were all added by commit 15f519e9f883 ("ceph: fix race condition validating r_parent before applying state"). The ones without initializer are suspectible to random crashes. (I can imagine it could even be possible to exploit this bug to elevate privileges.) Unfortunately, these Ceph functions are undocumented and its semantics can only be derived from the code. I see that ceph_mdsc_build_path() initializes the structure only on success, but not on error. Calling ceph_mdsc_free_path_info() after a failed ceph_mdsc_build_path() call does not even make sense, but that's what all callers do, and for it to be safe, the structure must be zero-initialized. The least intrusive approach to fix this is therefore to add initializers everywhere.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.12.48 to before 6.12.78; 6.6.160 to before 6.7; 6.16.8 to before 6.17 | 6.12.78, 6.7, 6.17 | Patch available | CNA |
| Linux | Linux | 6.17 and later | 6.12.78, 6.18.19, 6.19.9, 7.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.12.48 to before 6.12.78; 6.6.160 to before 6.7; 6.16.8 to before 6.17 Fixed in 6.12.78, 6.7, 6.17 Patch available CNA
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.17 and later Fixed in 6.12.78, 6.18.19, 6.19.9, 7.0 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 7
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12.48 to before 6.12.78; 6.16.8 to before 6.17; 6.17.1 to before 6.18.19; 6.19 to before 6.19.9 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.17 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.17 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.17 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12.48 to before 6.12.78; 6.16.8 to before 6.17; 6.17.1 to before 6.18.19; 6.19 to before 6.19.9 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.17 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.17 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.17 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:7.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.78, 6.7, 6.17
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.78, 6.18.19, 6.19.9, 7.0
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-43408
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-97qv-cc94-mr6w
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-19 Weakness changed · CISA ADP
- 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2026-43408 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-43408 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-97qv-cc94-mr6w · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-43408 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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