Kernel memory corruption via unchecked inline xattrs
Published Sep 17, 2026 · Updated Sep 18, 2026
Use-after-free in Linux 2.6.28 through 7.2.5 allows context-dependent attackers to read or corrupt kernel memory via crafted OCFS2 metadata. ocfs2_validate_inode_block accepts unchecked inline xattr name and value bounds, so getxattr or listxattr walks beyond inline storage. Exploitation requires a victim to mount an attacker-crafted OCFS2 image and access its extended attributes, which can expose or corrupt kernel memory or crash the host.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux 2.6.28 through 7.2.5 allows context-dependent attackers to read or corrupt kernel memory via crafted OCFS2 metadata. ocfs2_validate_inode_block accepts unchecked inline xattr name and value bounds, so getxattr or listxattr walks beyond inline storage. Exploitation requires a victim to mount an attacker-crafted OCFS2 image and access its extended attributes, which can expose or corrupt kernel memory or crash the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-90321
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 18, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 17, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 18, 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=2.6.28
- Affected versionversion=cf1d6c763fbcb115263114302485ad17e7933d87 <3fd45b24879fa4885b66a582a6e47eda67f11310
- Affected versionversion=cf1d6c763fbcb115263114302485ad17e7933d87 <8914a3330b72378136c2c02d6328a826f6abdad7
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.
Weakness, pattern, technique
No sourced classifications are available.
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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