File corruption via unzeroed short-read gaps
Published Oct 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 2026
Stale-data writeback in Linux 6.12 netfs allows attackers to corrupt files via short server reads during streaming writes. The netfs_read_gaps() function in fs/netfs/buffered_read.c leaves unread gaps around dirty data unzeroed after a short or end-of-file response, allowing stale folio bytes into subsequent writeback. Exposure requires this streaming-write path and a short server response; required attacker privileges and control over the response are not documented.
Summary
What happened
Stale-data writeback in Linux 6.12 netfs allows attackers to corrupt files via short server reads during streaming writes. The netfs_read_gaps() function in fs/netfs/buffered_read.c leaves unread gaps around dirty data unzeroed after a short or end-of-file response, allowing stale folio bytes into subsequent writeback. Exposure requires this streaming-write path and a short server response; required attacker privileges and control over the response are not documented.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-98843
- Published
- Oct 18, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 18, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- Unavailable
- Attack vector
- Unavailable
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 18, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 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=6.12
- Affected versionversion=ee4cdf7ba857a894ad1650d6ab77669cbbfa329e <2a62fe628a877c249c8286b157ee99d82840d9dc
- Affected versionversion=ee4cdf7ba857a894ad1650d6ab77669cbbfa329e <512eaf01ffabf4258e945016b50df5aed940b705
- Affected versionversion=ee4cdf7ba857a894ad1650d6ab77669cbbfa329e <8db55c5cd831a786a1a2a2d391aa80354535a353
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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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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