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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2026-46002: ext2: reject inodes with zero i_nlink and valid mode in ext2_iget()

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.12% (FIRST EPSS).
  • 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.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 1b80cf48bcf0e1937af9cd6c7beb188762bbf7c5, 25947cc5b2374cd5bf627fe3141496444260d04f, 2dde6377ab2e46bb80cf066c659ef016f3ad7a9b; azl3 kernel 6.6.139.1-1 on Azure Linux 3.0 6.6.141.1-1.
  • Mentioned 1 time in Turkish national cyber security advisories (siberguvenlik.gov.tr).

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 1b80cf48bcf0e1937af9cd6c7beb188762bbf7c5, 25947cc5b2374cd5bf627fe3141496444260d04f, 2dde6377ab2e46bb80cf066c659ef016f3ad7a9b; azl3 kernel 6.6.139.1-1 on Azure Linux 3.0 6.6.141.1-1 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext2: reject inodes with zero i_nlink and valid mode in ext2_iget() ext2_iget() already rejects inodes with i_nlink == 0 when i_mode is zero or i_dtime is set, treating them as deleted. However, the case of i_nlink == 0 with a non-zero mode and zero dtime slips through. Since ext2 has no orphan list, such a combination can only result from filesystem corruption - a legitimate inode deletion always sets either i_dtime or clears i_mode before freeing the inode. A crafted image can exploit this gap to present such an inode to the VFS, which then triggers WARN_ON inside drop_nlink() (fs/inode.c) via ext2_unlink(), ext2_rename() and ext2_rmdir(): WARNING: CPU: 3 PID: 609 at fs/inode.c:336 drop_nlink+0xad/0xd0 fs/inode.c:336 CPU: 3 UID: 0 PID: 609 Comm: syz-executor Not tainted 6.12.77+ #1 Call Trace: <TASK> inode_dec_link_count include/linux/fs.h:2518 [inline] ext2_unlink+0x26c/0x300 fs/ext2/namei.c:295 vfs_unlink+0x2fc/0x9b0 fs/namei.c:4477 do_unlinkat+0x53e/0x730 fs/namei.c:4541 __x64_sys_unlink+0xc6/0x110 fs/namei.c:4587 do_syscall_64+0xf5/0x220 arch/x86/entry/common.c:78 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f </TASK> WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 646 at fs/inode.c:336 drop_nlink+0xad/0xd0 fs/inode.c:336 CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 646 Comm: syz.0.17 Not tainted 6.12.77+ #1 Call Trace: <TASK> inode_dec_link_count include/linux/fs.h:2518 [inline] ext2_rename+0x35e/0x850 fs/ext2/namei.c:374 vfs_rename+0xf2f/0x2060 fs/namei.c:5021 do_renameat2+0xbe2/0xd50 fs/namei.c:5178 __x64_sys_rename+0x7e/0xa0 fs/namei.c:5223 do_syscall_64+0xf5/0x220 arch/x86/entry/common.c:78 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f </TASK> WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 634 at fs/inode.c:336 drop_nlink+0xad/0xd0 fs/inode.c:336 CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 634 Comm: syz-executor Not tainted 6.12.77+ #1 Call Trace: <TASK> inode_dec_link_count include/linux/fs.h:2518 [inline] ext2_rmdir+0xca/0x110 fs/ext2/namei.c:311 vfs_rmdir+0x204/0x690 fs/namei.c:4348 do_rmdir+0x372/0x3e0 fs/namei.c:4407 __x64_sys_unlinkat+0xf0/0x130 fs/namei.c:4577 do_syscall_64+0xf5/0x220 arch/x86/entry/common.c:78 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f </TASK> Extend the existing i_nlink == 0 check to also catch this case, reporting the corruption via ext2_error() and returning -EFSCORRUPTED. This rejects the inode at load time and prevents it from reaching any of the namei.c paths. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
May 27, 2026
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
0.1% · 2th percentile
CWE
—

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 · 0.1%

Get told when this record changes

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  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

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 kernel2.6.12.1 and later · before 5.10.258
  • linux linux kernel5.11 and later · before 5.15.209
  • linux linux kernel5.16 and later · before 6.1.175
  • linux linux kernel6.2 and later · before 6.6.140
  • linux linux kernel6.7 and later · before 6.12.86
  • linux linux kernel6.13 and later · before 6.18.27
  • linux linux kernel6.19 and later · before 7.0.4
  • linux linux kernel2.6.12

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

    • 2.6.12affected
    • 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and later · before 1b80cf48bcf0e1937af9cd6c7beb188762bbf7c5affected · git
    • 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and later · before 9e2d67fb2b73eeff8b601e26b332128eae8147bbaffected · git
    • 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and later · before a69a0c5156b6f0092b9fcf44517f5831a962de2daffected · git
    • 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and later · before 32e0b925572686399243834ec99e2a9d85c62eaeaffected · git
    • 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and later · before d3af04a43db86379df7438bf8bade71685b8a239affected · git
    • 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and later · before 2dde6377ab2e46bb80cf066c659ef016f3ad7a9baffected · git
    • 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and later · before 470264bbec499e276a89a6431144ae58f411ea4daffected · git
    • 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 and later · before 25947cc5b2374cd5bf627fe3141496444260d04faffected · git
    • before 2.6.12not affected · semver

Package-level exposure

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

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 6.1.176-16.1.176-1
Debian:13linuxbefore 6.12.86-16.12.86-1
Debian:14linuxbefore 7.0.4-17.0.4-1

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2026-46000May 27, 2026 · rxrpc: Fix conn-level packet handling to unshare RESPONSE packets
    22Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2026-46001May 27, 2026 · hwmon: (pt5161l) Fix bugs in pt5161l_read_block_data()
    31Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2026-46004May 27, 2026 · ALSA: caiaq: Handle probe errors properly
    31Monitor

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 Linux1b80cf48bcf0e1937af9cd6c7beb188762bbf7c5Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux25947cc5b2374cd5bf627fe3141496444260d04fVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux2dde6377ab2e46bb80cf066c659ef016f3ad7a9bVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux32e0b925572686399243834ec99e2a9d85c62eaeVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux470264bbec499e276a89a6431144ae58f411ea4dVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux9e2d67fb2b73eeff8b601e26b332128eae8147bbVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxa69a0c5156b6f0092b9fcf44517f5831a962de2dVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxd3af04a43db86379df7438bf8bade71685b8a239Vendor (CNA)
azl3 kernel 6.6.139.1-1 on Azure Linux 3.06.6.141.1-1 · CBL-Mariner ReleasesMicrosoft (MSRC)
debian:linux6.1.176-1 · Debian:12Package 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

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

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).

National notice (Türkiye Cybersecurity Directorate / USOM)

Official security notices citing this record; remediation advice is on the agency's page.

All national notices →

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.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (7 more)

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

All records