Read the docs
TI-2026-75666 Aliases CVE-2026-98538GHSA-m444-q4wx-jpmh

Quadratic inode rescans in Linux kernel writeback cause soft lockups

Priority LOW 22Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
—
Privileges required
—
User interaction
—
Attack complexity
—
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
—
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 6 without a fix

No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.

Summary

The Linux kernel writeback function cleanup_offline_cgwb() rescans the same inodes on every pass while draining a dying writeback structure, which makes the drain quadratic in the number of inodes. Inodes that were already prepared or cannot be switched stay where they are on the lists, so each call walks a growing run of them under a lock. With about 17M inodes attached to one dying cgwb, the source reports soft lockups with CPUs stuck for 21 to 48 seconds.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30

Description from the CNA

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: writeback: bound cleanup_offline_cgwb() rescans by rotating scanned inodes cleanup_offline_cgwb() prepares at most WB_MAX_INODES_PER_ISW inodes per call and is called again until the dying wb is drained, but every call walks wb->b_attached and then wb->b_dirty_time from the same end. Inodes already prepared (they stay on the list with I_WB_SWITCH set until the switch worker runs) and inodes that cannot be switched (I_FREEING, I_WILL_FREE, !SB_ACTIVE, DAX, already on the target wb) stay where they are, so each pass rescans a growing run of them under wb->list_lock and a full drain is quadratic in the number of inodes on the list. With ~17M inodes attached to one dying cgwb we saw this end in soft lockups, with CPUs reported stuck for 21-48s. Walk both lists from the oldest end and move every scanned inode to the newest end, so the next pass starts where the previous one stopped and the drain becomes linear. b_attached is unordered, so nobody sees the reorder there. b_dirty_time is ordered by dirtied_when, but the oldest unscanned inode stays at the end move_expired_inodes() picks from, sync takes the whole list regardless of order, and prepared inodes leave the list as soon as the switch work runs and get a new dirtied_time_when on the new wb anyway, so the only inodes left out of order are the ones that can never switch (DAX), and only on the dying wb.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.00215 11th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112 +3Red Hat: 6 without a fix

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
LinuxLinux5.14 and later6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9, 7.3Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.14 and later Fixed in 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9, 7.3 Patch available CNA

CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1

Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*——Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·Linux

Remediation

Upgrade the Linux kernel to 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9 or 7.3, the fixed versions listed for the Linux kernel. Red Hat has no fix available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9 and 10 or Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5, and has no fix planned for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.189, 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.55, 7.2.9, 7.3

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Not affected: 2 products
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
  • Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-98538
  2. 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-m444-q4wx-jpmh
  3. 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
  4. 2026-10-20 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  5. 2026-10-20 CVSS score added · Red Hat
  6. 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat

References

  • 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
See all 21727 →

Sources