CVE-2026-31450: Linux kernel · ext4: publish jinode after initialization
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.8 High · fixed in e4325e84727e539c8597bd5b8491349f57f7fb17 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 12:55 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.4% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 35% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- No evidence of active exploitation and no public proof of concept
- Automatable
- Attackers cannot reliably automate steps 1–4 of the kill chain
- Technical impact
- Total control over the software or total information disclosure
CISA SSVC assessment, 2026-10-16.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in e4325e84727e539c8597bd5b8491349f57f7fb17, e76bcb727e4874a2f9d0297f8e3f8eced89b0764, be54c0055407a73b60349c093c8ce621cb8fa232 +5
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 22 Apr 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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AI-suggested
A fix is available and has been applied in multiple Linux kernel commits. Users should update their Linux kernel to a version that includes the fix identified by the listed commit hashes. No additional mitigation steps are required beyond applying the official patch.
Description
CVE-2026-31450 is a high-severity vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ext4 filesystem code. It involves a race condition where the ext4_inode_attach_jinode() function publishes a pointer to a journal inode (jinode) before it is fully initialized. This can cause concurrent readers to dereference an uninitialized pointer, leading to a kernel crash (NULL pointer dereference). The issue is fixed by properly initializing the jinode before publishing it using memory barriers and atomic operations.
References
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2d2b648960147d078b000b9a7494017082024366 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e4325e84727e539c8597bd5b8491349f57f7fb17 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/be54c0055407a73b60349c093c8ce621cb8fa232 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a070d5a872ffe0e0fe5c46eda6386140ded39adb (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e76bcb727e4874a2f9d0297f8e3f8eced89b0764 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4855a59e21789c79f003a9b5f4135c95a7495c6b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/33f486987af21531a7b18973d11795ede3da9ddd (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1aec30021edd410b986c156f195f3d23959a9d11 (opens in a new tab)
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-082556.html (opens in a new tab)
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-019113.html (opens in a new tab)
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-457936.html (opens in a new tab)