System hang via metadata writeback lock deadlock
Published Aug 15, 2026 · Updated Aug 15, 2026
Deadlock in zoned Btrfs in Linux allows local users to hang the system during concurrent metadata writeback and transaction commit. In btree_writepages(), the tree-log branch retains zoned_meta_io_lock while btrfs_zone_finish_one_bg() waits for a transaction whose committer needs that lock. The path requires a zoned Btrfs filesystem, failed tree-log block-group activation, and overlapping writeback and commit activity; reaching it stalls both tasks and hangs the system.
Summary
What happened
Deadlock in zoned Btrfs in Linux allows local users to hang the system during concurrent metadata writeback and transaction commit. In btree_writepages(), the tree-log branch retains zoned_meta_io_lock while btrfs_zone_finish_one_bg() waits for a transaction whose committer needs that lock. The path requires a zoned Btrfs filesystem, failed tree-log block-group activation, and overlapping writeback and commit activity; reaching it stalls both tasks and hangs the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-74572
- Published
- Aug 15, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 15, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-833, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 15, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 15, 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.
- Affected versionversion=13bb483d32abb6f8ebd40141d87eb68f11cc2dd2 <18577e77c2c8adaadf1f7c6e9bcd1c0b14e5dcdd
- Affected versionversion=13bb483d32abb6f8ebd40141d87eb68f11cc2dd2 <1ebe51c29fa9755d5b2fea28727c051117907cf8
- Affected versionversion=13bb483d32abb6f8ebd40141d87eb68f11cc2dd2 <75859a7cd77cd2ddaddbcb963e3fcd34738953af
- Affected versionversion=13bb483d32abb6f8ebd40141d87eb68f11cc2dd2 <c3320873e0c04ce7b746fc8fe948f07bbbbdec33
- Affected versionversion=13bb483d32abb6f8ebd40141d87eb68f11cc2dd2 <deddd28fd83c264ee2ff5cd6b34449a9f1be6112
- Affected versionversion=6.5.5 <6.6
- Affected versionversion=6.6
- Affected versionversion=fca3a1cd3ba47f1815e0c0fcdc9aafaf02ee0a75
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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