CVE-2026-46046

Service interruption via unreleased ext4 buffer head

Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026

Resource leak in the ext4 subsystem of Linux Kernel allows local users to interrupt service through extended-attribute operations. ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref_all() obtains iloc.bh from ext4_get_inode_loc() but omits brelse(), retaining a buffer-head reference. Low-privileged local access and an ext4 filesystem with block_csum disabled are required; repeated invocation exhausts kernel resources without reported data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource leak in the ext4 subsystem of Linux Kernel allows local users to interrupt service through extended-attribute operations. ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref_all() obtains iloc.bh from ext4_get_inode_loc() but omits brelse(), retaining a buffer-head reference. Low-privileged local access and an ext4 filesystem with block_csum disabled are required; repeated invocation exhausts kernel resources without reported data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-46046
Published
May 27, 2026
Updated
May 27, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 27, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=362a90cecd36e8a5c415966d0b75b04a0270e4dd <1bc1107a3a403a6d440673ed6666f7b07ef868a8
  2. Affected versionversion=3bc6317033f365ce578eb6039445fb66162722fd
  3. Affected versionversion=5.10.237 <5.11
  4. Affected versionversion=5.15.181 <5.16
  5. Affected versionversion=5.4.293 <5.5
  6. Affected versionversion=6.1.135 <6.2
  7. Affected versionversion=6.12.24 <6.12.86
  8. Affected versionversion=6.13.12 <6.14
  9. Affected versionversion=6.14.3 <6.15
  10. Affected versionversion=6.15
  11. Affected versionversion=6.6.88 <6.6.140
  12. Affected versionversion=6aff941cb0f7d0c897c3698ad2e30672709135e3
  13. Affected versionversion=76c365fa7e2a8bb85f0190cdb4b8cdc99b2fdce3
  14. Affected versionversion=836e625b03a666cf93ff5be328c8cb30336db872
  15. Affected versionversion=c8e008b60492cf6fd31ef127aea6d02fd3d314cd <1e6b0a69bf2c9c819255c7566e4355536d81d9cf
  16. Affected versionversion=c8e008b60492cf6fd31ef127aea6d02fd3d314cd <77d059519382bd66283e6a4e83ee186e87e7708f
  17. Affected versionversion=c8e008b60492cf6fd31ef127aea6d02fd3d314cd <f072906688933bf47fabbaf63560be03357c8298
  18. Affected versionversion=cf9291a3449b04688b81e32621e88de8f4314b54
  19. Affected versionversion=eb59cc31b6ea076021d14b04e7faab1636b87d0e <097227f1ffe1a85bc3c359f81c71e3d40e06e920
  20. Affected versionversion=f737418b6de31c962c7192777ee4018906975383

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=362a90cecd36e8a5c415966d0b75b04a0270e4dd <1bc1107a3a403a6d440673ed6666f7b07ef868a8; version=3bc6317033f365ce578eb6039445fb66162722fd; version=5.10.237 <5.11; version=5.15.181 <5.16; version=5.4.293 <5.5; version=6.1.135 <6.2; version=6.12.24 <6.12.86; version=6.13.12 <6.14; version=6.14.3 <6.15; version=6.15; version=6.6.88 <6.6.140; version=6aff941cb0f7d0c897c3698ad2e30672709135e3; version=76c365fa7e2a8bb85f0190cdb4b8cdc99b2fdce3; version=836e625b03a666cf93ff5be328c8cb30336db872; version=c8e008b60492cf6fd31ef127aea6d02fd3d314cd <1e6b0a69bf2c9c819255c7566e4355536d81d9cf; version=c8e008b60492cf6fd31ef127aea6d02fd3d314cd <77d059519382bd66283e6a4e83ee186e87e7708f; version=c8e008b60492cf6fd31ef127aea6d02fd3d314cd <f072906688933bf47fabbaf63560be03357c8298; version=cf9291a3449b04688b81e32621e88de8f4314b54; version=eb59cc31b6ea076021d14b04e7faab1636b87d0e <097227f1ffe1a85bc3c359f81c71e3d40e06e920; version=f737418b6de31c962c7192777ee4018906975383

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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