ext4: don't enable DAX on new encrypted files
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 6 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: don't enable DAX on new encrypted files Currently, when a new encrypted regular file is created, the call to ext4_set_inode_flags(inode, init=true) in __ext4_new_inode() is made before EXT4_INODE_ENCRYPT is set. As a result, it can set S_DAX if the filesystem is mounted with "-o dax=always". EXT4_INODE_ENCRYPT then actually gets set a bit later in __ext4_new_inode(), when it calls fscrypt_set_context() which calls ext4_set_context(). ext4_set_context() sets EXT4_INODE_ENCRYPT and calls ext4_set_inode_flags(inode, init=false) to set S_ENCRYPTED too. This was intended to clear S_DAX as well. However, this was broken by commit 043546e46dc7 ("fs/ext4: Only change S_DAX on inode load"). This causes data written to the file to bypass encryption, also causing xfstests failures such as generic/548 (when "-o dax=always" is used). Fix this by simplifying the flow by making __ext4_new_inode() set EXT4_INODE_ENCRYPT earlier. This makes it take effect in ext4_set_inode_flags(inode, init=true), making S_DAX never be set. Similarly, make EXT4_STATE_MAY_INLINE_DATA never be set in the first place on new encrypted inodes. Then it doesn't need to be cleared. As a result of these simplifications, ext4_set_context() no longer needs to change inode flags or state when 'handle != NULL'. Remove that too.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.8 and later | 5.10.269, 5.15.220, 6.1.187, 6.6.156, 6.12.108, 6.18.47, 7.1.11, 7.2.1, 7.3 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.8 and later Fixed in 5.10.269, 5.15.220, 6.1.187, 6.6.156, 6.12.108, 6.18.47, 7.1.11, 7.2.1, 7.3 Patch available CNA
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.269, 5.15.220, 6.1.187, 6.6.156, 6.12.108, 6.18.47, 7.1.11, 7.2.1, 7.3
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 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 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-80806
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-jqxc-3f8r-hc2f
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-26 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-26 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/add98959b220935b243170214c787bc03044a44d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f53b325068bca0b238c3e0d2eb7de9b1f2268cab
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5959cad3cfa852ec07bbdaf9c17f4838a94a8e6c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a13f61ba9b2a7a4ff1f140949ccfad23c5313757
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ed1cd834da65db127f1c30ff67e78f14825a06c1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/458776af0061afec1014cb3cd0061e282e482e83
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3392391b363a63ebb531d45318a729b1c998565b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e27bae352158c007143d5bb50f3af33a177c0a37
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/da32af420d6d466e247c43ac0b829edeac7ae0ad
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Sources
- CVE-2026-80806 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-80806 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-jqxc-3f8r-hc2f · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-80806 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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