CVE-2026-46160

Mount failure via stale directory transaction metadata

Published May 28, 2026 · Updated May 28, 2026

Improper Btrfs directory metadata handling in Linux Kernel allows local users to cause filesystem mount failure after a power loss. The directory-removal path in fs/btrfs/inode.c fails to update last_unlink_trans, so a later fsync can preserve an inconsistent tree-log entry. Triggering the failure requires write access to the mounted Btrfs filesystem, an open descriptor to the removed directory, a subsequent fsync, and an intervening power failure before the next mount.

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

Improper Btrfs directory metadata handling in Linux Kernel allows local users to cause filesystem mount failure after a power loss. The directory-removal path in fs/btrfs/inode.c fails to update last_unlink_trans, so a later fsync can preserve an inconsistent tree-log entry. Triggering the failure requires write access to the mounted Btrfs filesystem, an open descriptor to the removed directory, a subsequent fsync, and an intervening power failure before the next mount.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-46160
Published
May 28, 2026
Updated
May 28, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 28, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 28, 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=0 <6.12.91
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <6.18.30
  3. Affected versionversion=0 <6.6.141
  4. Affected versionversion=0 <7.0.7
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <36fcc2c7517f8a86379154c9793f867592aa8b7e
  6. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <999757231c49376cd1a37308d2c8c4c9932571e1
  7. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <aa9c3ecaf7337df3a689318584f879b5339ede0f
  8. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <cc3c0a0f965754ce230d93ba44ee5b34fbe6138a
  9. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <fb388eb58c1ba047ccabc33901839acfecadcf49

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=0 <6.12.91; version=0 <6.18.30; version=0 <6.6.141; version=0 <7.0.7; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <36fcc2c7517f8a86379154c9793f867592aa8b7e; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <999757231c49376cd1a37308d2c8c4c9932571e1; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <aa9c3ecaf7337df3a689318584f879b5339ede0f; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <cc3c0a0f965754ce230d93ba44ee5b34fbe6138a; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <fb388eb58c1ba047ccabc33901839acfecadcf49

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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