Race condition in Linux dm-crypt reports failed I/O as successful
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 7 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The dm-crypt device mapper target in the Linux kernel is affected in versions from 2.6.28.9 before 2.6.29 and from 2.6.29 onward. A race condition in crypt_dec_pending reads the I/O error status before dropping the last reference, so another context can set the error in between and the bio completes with a stale status. A local attacker with low privileges can cause a failed read, or a read that was never decrypted, to be reported as successful, and a failed write to be reported as successful too.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
Description from the CNA
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: dm-crypt: fix a tiny race condition in crypt_dec_pending crypt_dec_pending reads io->error before calling atomic_dec_and_test. Another context, for example crypt_endio called from an interrupt, may set io->error and drop its reference between the read and the decrement. crypt_dec_pending then drops the last reference and completes the bio with the stale status - so a read that failed and was never decrypted, or a write that failed, is reported as successful. The read was placed before the decrement by commit b35f8caa0890 ("dm crypt: wait for endio to complete before destruction"), because that commit freed dm_crypt_io before calling bio_endio. This is no longer the case, dm_crypt_io lives in the per-bio data now. Read io->error after atomic_dec_and_test instead. atomic_dec_and_test is fully ordered, so no additional barrier is needed.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Linux kernel fixed versions are 2.6.29, 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.161, 6.12.115, 6.18.59, 7.2.13 and 7.3. Red Hat lists no fix planned for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and no fix available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9 and 10 and OpenShift Container Platform 4 and 5.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-06
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 2.6.29
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.273, 5.15.224, 6.1.191, 6.6.161, 6.12.115, 6.18.59, 7.2.13, 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 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| 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 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-28 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-99136
- 2026-10-28 Alias added: GHSA-mgww-4g2j-r877
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/Linux@056bf8322e39a48026df352d6227ec03dd8cd032, Linux/Linux@445a6883f46d3ab1ff545199a8cc1d5834936d3f, Linux/[email protected] +7 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 5 new references · CNA
- 2026-10-31 CVSS score added · CNA
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/445a6883f46d3ab1ff545199a8cc1d5834936d3f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6f82e86471c92fd874f2630c9a6af887f4ed1a77
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6ac8546df1f8a2b1ca7f6d67c269057a99fbbf8c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/056bf8322e39a48026df352d6227ec03dd8cd032
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d9d7069bb79139271b54dc477f07e242c445de6b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac5d887ab93592fc5e3605fe30c1d8d232d609b3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4f16bb982b27b9f5a15301f622c318001fe521f8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/148845aa1921d95ef5dc851c76e6a284f6657df6
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Sources
- CVE-2026-99136 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-99136 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-mgww-4g2j-r877 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-99136 · 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