VulnerabilityPublished 27 May 2026Updated 6 Nov 2026

CVE-2026-46094: Linux kernel · ext4: fix bounds check in check_xattrs() to prevent out-of-bounds access

Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5

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Not known to be exploited · fixed in eceafc31ea7b42c984ece10d79d505c0bb6615d5 : update Linux kernel when convenient.

Data as of 6 Nov 2026, 16:34 UTC

Severity

Unrated

Rated by Threat Radar · No CVSS score from NVD or the CNA

Thin evidence

One scorer or none

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: Limited control over the software or limited information exposure

CISA SSVC assessment, 2026-11-06.

Patch

Available – fixed in eceafc31ea7b42c984ece10d79d505c0bb6615d5, ab6da97bc310db35d4e4ef5354bc3ff626b0698c, 520986722dbf869c122252123fc161c7302eab7d +2

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 27 May 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: 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 6 Nov 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponized: A Metasploit exploit module or Exploit-DB entry exists (Metasploit scanner modules do not count), or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 3478c83cf26bbffd026ae6a56bcb1fe544f0834e, < eceafc31ea7b42c984ece10d79d505c0bb6615d5	Fixed in eceafc31ea7b42c984ece10d79d505c0bb6615d5
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 3478c83cf26bbffd026ae6a56bcb1fe544f0834e, < ab6da97bc310db35d4e4ef5354bc3ff626b0698c	Fixed in ab6da97bc310db35d4e4ef5354bc3ff626b0698c
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 3478c83cf26bbffd026ae6a56bcb1fe544f0834e, < 520986722dbf869c122252123fc161c7302eab7d	Fixed in 520986722dbf869c122252123fc161c7302eab7d
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 3478c83cf26bbffd026ae6a56bcb1fe544f0834e, < 537e065977022aa22f2c2503e8accaf16622e0fd	Fixed in 537e065977022aa22f2c2503e8accaf16622e0fd
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 3478c83cf26bbffd026ae6a56bcb1fe544f0834e, < 5a5314d2387633a272a04d1bd8727f99058e4e68	Fixed in 5a5314d2387633a272a04d1bd8727f99058e4e68
LinuxLinux	Affected =6.3	Fixed in–

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix bounds check in check_xattrs() to prevent out-of-bounds access The bounds check for the next xattr entry in check_xattrs() uses (void *)next >= end, which allows next to point within sizeof(u32) bytes of end. On the next loop iteration, IS_LAST_ENTRY() reads 4 bytes via *(__u32 *)(entry), which can overrun the valid xattr region. For example, if next lands at end - 1, the check passes since next < end, but IS_LAST_ENTRY() reads 4 bytes starting at end - 1, accessing 3 bytes beyond the valid region. Fix this by changing the check to (void *)next + sizeof(u32) > end, ensuring there is always enough space for the IS_LAST_ENTRY() read on the subsequent iteration.

References

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