btrfs: zoned: flush active metadata block group at btree_writepages() start
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: 2 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: btrfs: zoned: flush active metadata block group at btree_writepages() start btree_writepages() writes the btree inode's dirty metadata in ascending logical address order. On a zoned filesystem only one metadata and one system block group is active for writing at a time, and check_bg_is_active() (via btrfs_check_meta_write_pointer()) pivots the active block group as writeback moves from one block group to the next. If the active block group sits at a higher logical address than another block group that also holds dirty metadata, the ascending walk reaches the lower one first and, to write it, has to finish the active block group and activate the lower one. It cannot finish a block group that still has unsent IO, and during WB_SYNC_ALL && !for_sync (commit) writeback it deliberately refuses to wait for that IO under fs_info->zoned_meta_io_lock, as that can deadlock. The pivot thus cannot issue the submission itself either, so it gives up: btrfs_check_meta_write_pointer() returns -EAGAIN, which btrfs_write_and_wait_transaction() treats as fatal and aborts the transaction, forcing the filesystem read-only. This happens intermittently under metadata-heavy relocation (e.g. fstests btrfs/187). Flush the active metadata and system block groups at the start of btree_writepages(), under the fs_info->zoned_meta_io_lock it already holds, so they have no unsent IO left and the later pivot can finish them and make forward progress.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.6
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.18.57, 7.2.6, 7.3
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 |
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-90261
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-6683-vc4x-94r5
- 2026-10-15 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-15 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-16 Fix available: Linux/Linux@58b0ab0340ce04a057169d42cbacbf786063813d, Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-16 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-11-07 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
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Sources
- CVE-2026-90261 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-90261 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-6683-vc4x-94r5 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-90261 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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