ocfs2: fix NULL h_transaction deref in ocfs2_assure_trans_credits
Key facts
- Attack vector
- —
- Privileges required
- —
- User interaction
- —
- Attack complexity
- —
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- —
- Fix status
- Fixed
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ocfs2: fix NULL h_transaction deref in ocfs2_assure_trans_credits [BUG] A direct write over unwritten extents can panic the kernel in ocfs2_assure_trans_credits() when the journal aborts during DIO completion. The crash is a general protection fault from a NULL pointer dereference. [CAUSE] ocfs2_dio_end_io_write() loops over a direct write's unwritten extents, marking each written under a single journal handle. If the journal aborts (for example after an I/O error) while the extent tree is being updated, the handle is left aborted with its transaction pointer cleared. The extent merge treats that failure as not critical and reports success, so the loop keeps using the handle. ocfs2_assure_trans_credits() reads the handle's remaining credits without first checking whether the handle is aborted, and that read dereferences the cleared transaction pointer. [FIX] A journal abort is recorded in the handle itself, so callers are expected to test the handle rather than rely on a returned error. Make ocfs2_assure_trans_credits() do that, as the other ocfs2 journal helpers already do, and return -EROFS when the handle is aborted.
Why it matters now
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 | 5.10.221 to before 5.10.261; 5.15.162 to before 5.15.212; 6.1.97 to before 6.1.178; 6.6.37 to before 6.6.145; 6.9.8 to before 6.10 | 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.10 | Patch available | CNA |
| Linux | Linux | 6.10 and later | 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5, 7.2 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.10.221 to before 5.10.261; 5.15.162 to before 5.15.212; 6.1.97 to before 6.1.178; 6.6.37 to before 6.6.145; 6.9.8 to before 6.10 Fixed in 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.10 Patch available CNA
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.10 and later Fixed in 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5, 7.2 Patch available CNA
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.10
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5, 7.2
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- 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-2026-72163
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-54g6-8m9x-g4c9
- 2026-11-06 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2d80e9c56718435a9c9f5f24dbc954989aead579
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/942b818b396c24c452681803ff291552317d2ef1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7146d191dae3a8efdb957993fb61a55713186266
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f14aaaa130356ee4adb44de947c098637c70df8f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6ad7532a23bc94076efe9f1486dd7f7493c090ff
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bd73971fad89d5ee4ea0ba9b92d2ea08733c4a64
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/253ed993e0b36997ec7b04c1ff76103b38241de2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f9ab30c96b0f00c20c6dac93681bdae3a033d229
More Linux 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-2021-02452 Incorrect authorization in Ubuntu linux kernel 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
Sources
- CVE-2026-72163 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-72163 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-54g6-8m9x-g4c9 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-72163 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences