ext4: fix missing brelse() in ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref_all()
Priority LOW 24Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix missing brelse() in ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref_all() The commit c8e008b60492 ("ext4: ignore xattrs past end") introduced a refcount leak in when block_csum is false. ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref_all() calls ext4_get_inode_loc() to get iloc.bh, but never releases it with brelse().
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00129 2nd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175 +8Red Hat: 4 without a fix
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
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 | 5.10.237 to before 5.10.258; 5.15.181 to before 5.15.209; 6.1.135 to before 6.1.175; 6.6.88 to before 6.6.140; 6.12.24 to before 6.12.86; 5.4.293 to before 5.5; 6.13.12 to before 6.14; 6.14.3 to before 6.15 | 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.140, 6.12.86, 5.5, 6.14, 6.15 | Patch available | CNA |
| Linux | Linux | 6.15 and later | 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.140, 6.12.86, 6.18.27, 7.0.4, 7.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.10.237 to before 5.10.258; 5.15.181 to before 5.15.209; 6.1.135 to before 6.1.175; 6.6.88 to before 6.6.140; 6.12.24 to before 6.12.86; 5.4.293 to before 5.5; 6.13.12 to before 6.14; 6.14.3 to before 6.15 Fixed in 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.140, 6.12.86, 5.5, 6.14, 6.15 Patch available CNA
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.15 and later Fixed in 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.140, 6.12.86, 6.18.27, 7.0.4, 7.1 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.4.293 to before 5.5; 5.10.237 to before 5.10.258; 5.15.181 to before 5.15.209; 6.1.135 to before 6.1.175; 6.6.88 to before 6.6.140; 6.12.24 to before 6.12.86; 6.13.12 to before 6.14; 6.14.3 to before 6.18.27; 6.19 to before 7.0.4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.4.293 to before 5.5; 5.10.237 to before 5.10.258; 5.15.181 to before 5.15.209; 6.1.135 to before 6.1.175; 6.6.88 to before 6.6.140; 6.12.24 to before 6.12.86; 6.13.12 to before 6.14; 6.14.3 to before 6.18.27; 6.19 to before 7.0.4 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.140, 6.12.86, 5.5, 6.14, 6.15
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.258, 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.140, 6.12.86, 6.18.27, 7.0.4, 7.1
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. 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 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-46046
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-m5xh-rjfq-cc6f
- 2026-11-06 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dd98a5603a212ea9c96c6982ccdbcc748fdb9a56
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/153ab2c52355fbebcae622db8e7b506492c73a29
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b706d00206a9e82362a9633efbd8b5775650169b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1bc1107a3a403a6d440673ed6666f7b07ef868a8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/097227f1ffe1a85bc3c359f81c71e3d40e06e920
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e6b0a69bf2c9c819255c7566e4355536d81d9cf
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f072906688933bf47fabbaf63560be03357c8298
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/77d059519382bd66283e6a4e83ee186e87e7708f
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- 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-2026-46046 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-46046 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-m5xh-rjfq-cc6f · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-46046 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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