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CVE-2026-45895· NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

quota: fix livelock between quotactl and freeze_super

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: quota: fix livelock between quotactl and freeze_super When a filesystem is frozen, quotactl_block() enters a retry loop waiting for the filesystem to thaw. It acquires s_umount, checks the freeze state, drops s_umount and uses sb_start_write() - sb_end_write() pair to wait for the unfreeze. However, this retry loop can trigger a livelock issue, specifically on kernels with preemption disabled. The mechanism is as follows: 1. freeze_super() sets SB_FREEZE_WRITE and calls sb_wait_write(). 2. sb_wait_write() calls percpu_down_write(), which initiates synchronize_rcu(). 3. Simultaneously, quotactl_block() spins in its retry loop, immediately executing the sb_start_write() - sb_end_write() pair. 4. Because the kernel is non-preemptible and the loop contains no scheduling points, quotactl_block() never yields the CPU. This prevents that CPU from reaching an RCU quiescent state. 5. synchronize_rcu() in the freezer thread waits indefinitely for the quotactl_block() CPU to report a quiescent state. 6. quotactl_block() spins indefinitely waiting for the freezer to advance, which it cannot do as it is blocked on the RCU sync. This results in a hang of the freezer process and 100% CPU usage by the quota process. While this can occur intermittently on multi-core systems, it is reliably reproducing on a node with the following script, running both the freezer and the quota toggle on the same CPU: # mkfs.ext4 -O quota /dev/sda 2g && mkdir a_mount # mount /dev/sda -o quota,usrquota,grpquota a_mount # taskset -c 3 bash -c "while true; do xfs_freeze -f a_mount; \ xfs_freeze -u a_mount; done" & # taskset -c 3 bash -c "while true; do quotaon a_mount; \ quotaoff a_mount; done" & Adding cond_resched() to the retry loop fixes the issue. It acts as an RCU quiescent state, allowing synchronize_rcu() in percpu_down_write() to complete.

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
May 27, 2026
Updated
Jun 25, 2026
EPSS
0.2% · 5th percentile
CWE
—
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Report tools

JSON

Action score

22

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.2%

Affected systems

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linux linux kernel6.5 and later · before 6.6.128
  • linux linux kernel6.7 and later · before 6.12.75
  • linux linux kernel6.13 and later · before 6.18.14
  • linux linux kernel6.19 and later · before 6.19.4

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • 6.5affected
    • 576215cffdefc1f0ceebffd87abb390926e6b037 and later · before 37ccd48cf35f3c8b9f2ea961a7b486b91eb71a82affected · git
    • 576215cffdefc1f0ceebffd87abb390926e6b037 and later · before 414259caf81a397563fc9baca9c0ef856c4a97cfaffected · git
    • 576215cffdefc1f0ceebffd87abb390926e6b037 and later · before 02bb1500f1479750e6557c8044f6a2d7e9d30c12affected · git
    • 576215cffdefc1f0ceebffd87abb390926e6b037 and later · before 53b2314b26b6640a3657cc924de63a1a8f26ac4daffected · git
    • 576215cffdefc1f0ceebffd87abb390926e6b037 and later · before 77449e453dfc006ad738dec55374c4cbc056fd39affected · git
    • before 6.5not affected · semver
    • 6.6.128 and later · up to and including 6.6.*not affected · semver
    • 6.12.75 and later · up to and including 6.12.*not affected · semver
    • 6.18.14 and later · up to and including 6.18.*not affected · semver

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:13linuxbefore 6.12.85-16.12.85-1
Debian:14linuxbefore 6.18.14-16.18.14-1

Same product

linux: all records

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Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux02bb1500f1479750e6557c8044f6a2d7e9d30c12Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux37ccd48cf35f3c8b9f2ea961a7b486b91eb71a82Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux414259caf81a397563fc9baca9c0ef856c4a97cfVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux53b2314b26b6640a3657cc924de63a1a8f26ac4dVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux77449e453dfc006ad738dec55374c4cbc056fd39Vendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.12.85-1 · Debian:13Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

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No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

—

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Noroxi analysis

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Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

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References

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records