Kernel memory leak via unreleased seen-inode bitmap
Published Sep 25, 2026 · Updated Sep 25, 2026
Memory leak in XFS online directory-tree scrub in Linux 6.10 allows attackers to consume kernel memory through path-append failures. After xchk_dirtree_create_path or xrep_dirtree_create_adoption_path creates a path object, an append failure returns without destroying its empty seen-inode bitmap. Reaching the leak requires the XFS scrub or repair path and an append failure; upstream material does not establish the required privilege or attacker control over that failure.
Summary
What happened
Memory leak in XFS online directory-tree scrub in Linux 6.10 allows attackers to consume kernel memory through path-append failures. After xchk_dirtree_create_path or xrep_dirtree_create_adoption_path creates a path object, an append failure returns without destroying its empty seen-inode bitmap. Reaching the leak requires the XFS scrub or repair path and an append failure; upstream material does not establish the required privilege or attacker control over that failure.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-97543
- Published
- Sep 25, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 25, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- Unavailable
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 25, 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=6.10
- Affected versionversion=928b721a11789a9363d6d7c32a1f3166a79f3b5f <0b756de8167f2f06ffceadc71cb17c1fc7be4be8
- Affected versionversion=928b721a11789a9363d6d7c32a1f3166a79f3b5f <1a441c6842da75c5b862cc1c9f7969d6a93b54b9
- Affected versionversion=928b721a11789a9363d6d7c32a1f3166a79f3b5f <3b10ca4302ee2dda4233f70b2033883ee376fa6a
- Affected versionversion=928b721a11789a9363d6d7c32a1f3166a79f3b5f <582f54dce62043f7a0503ab8c76d718d0293da59
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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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Your stack
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