CVE-2026-97547Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via premature reflink flag clearing

Published Sep 25, 2026 · Updated Sep 25, 2026

Local privilege escalation in the Linux XFS exchange-range path allows local users to overwrite any readable file on affected systems. With INO1_WRITTEN set, xfs_exchmaps_can_skip_mapping() skips mappings while cleanup clears the reflink flag from an inode that still owns shared extents, so later writes bypass copy-on-write. Exploitation requires Linux 6.10 or later, an unpatched branch, XFS reflink support, and the experimental exchange_range feature enabled; overwriting a privileged file grants root access.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in the Linux XFS exchange-range path allows local users to overwrite any readable file on affected systems. With INO1_WRITTEN set, xfs_exchmaps_can_skip_mapping() skips mappings while cleanup clears the reflink flag from an inode that still owns shared extents, so later writes bypass copy-on-write. Exploitation requires Linux 6.10 or later, an unpatched branch, XFS reflink support, and the experimental exchange_range feature enabled; overwriting a privileged file grants root access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-97547
Published
Sep 25, 2026
Updated
Sep 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.10
  2. Affected versionversion=966ceafc7a437105ecfe1cadb3747b2965a260ca <56f87ac2b9543be2be529b831666682e6df4bc40
  3. Affected versionversion=966ceafc7a437105ecfe1cadb3747b2965a260ca <8ae30b9a8c207f9bd03a98eda7b5d641daa79bdb
  4. Affected versionversion=966ceafc7a437105ecfe1cadb3747b2965a260ca <a23eca88448e52eb1a81549862df7adce794fafb
  5. Affected versionversion=966ceafc7a437105ecfe1cadb3747b2965a260ca <fac32b9950a2aab3f8659d23b2947b8fb305c3fe

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.10; version=966ceafc7a437105ecfe1cadb3747b2965a260ca <56f87ac2b9543be2be529b831666682e6df4bc40; version=966ceafc7a437105ecfe1cadb3747b2965a260ca <8ae30b9a8c207f9bd03a98eda7b5d641daa79bdb; version=966ceafc7a437105ecfe1cadb3747b2965a260ca <a23eca88448e52eb1a81549862df7adce794fafb; version=966ceafc7a437105ecfe1cadb3747b2965a260ca <fac32b9950a2aab3f8659d23b2947b8fb305c3fe

Published CVSS scores

7.1Linux Kernel CVE TeamCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

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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