VulnerabilityPublished 19 Jul 2026Updated 6 Nov 2026

CVE-2026-64185: Linux kernel · sysfs: don't remove existing directory on update failure

Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5

Compare

Not known to be exploited · fixed in ccadd32cc1263802a5969c9efe0e96225450428c : update Linux kernel when convenient.

Data as of 6 Nov 2026, 17:03 UTC

Severity

Medium

Rated Medium by Threat Radar's AI analysis · 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 ccadd32cc1263802a5969c9efe0e96225450428c, c5e125c828b701afaf7493b42a14aa89362ff36d, 237557b8a81ab948e8332f7c0058e758f081c0a3 +5

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 19 Jul 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 ≥ c855cf2759d27142f771173d9fd8e7fdf9cf5138, < ccadd32cc1263802a5969c9efe0e96225450428c	Fixed in ccadd32cc1263802a5969c9efe0e96225450428c
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ c855cf2759d27142f771173d9fd8e7fdf9cf5138, < c5e125c828b701afaf7493b42a14aa89362ff36d	Fixed in c5e125c828b701afaf7493b42a14aa89362ff36d
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ c855cf2759d27142f771173d9fd8e7fdf9cf5138, < 237557b8a81ab948e8332f7c0058e758f081c0a3	Fixed in 237557b8a81ab948e8332f7c0058e758f081c0a3
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ c855cf2759d27142f771173d9fd8e7fdf9cf5138, < 31527d80234caf83dc96ad478645e57df9de4472	Fixed in 31527d80234caf83dc96ad478645e57df9de4472
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ c855cf2759d27142f771173d9fd8e7fdf9cf5138, < 708f6926f61f71e09b5e9fd668b9882ccd46e69f	Fixed in 708f6926f61f71e09b5e9fd668b9882ccd46e69f
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ c855cf2759d27142f771173d9fd8e7fdf9cf5138, < 57b285e0368290aa55f79ba11419b96d0ebdb418	Fixed in 57b285e0368290aa55f79ba11419b96d0ebdb418

AI-suggested

A fix is available and has been applied in the Linux kernel versions identified by the provided commit hashes. Users and maintainers should update to these fixed versions to remediate the issue.

Description

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel sysfs subsystem could cause the removal of an existing sysfs directory during an update failure. Specifically, when sysfs_update_group() is called and create_files() fails, the kernel may incorrectly remove a directory that existed prior to the update attempt. This could lead to unintended destruction of sysfs groups not created by the caller. The issue has been fixed by ensuring the directory is only removed if it was created during the update attempt.

Impact

The vulnerability could cause unintended removal of existing sysfs directories during update failures, potentially disrupting kernel sysfs group structures. This could affect system stability or kernel functionality relying on those sysfs groups. However, no known exploits in the wild have been reported.

Summary

The Linux kernel's sysfs subsystem had a flaw where, during an update failure in sysfs_update_group(), the existing directory could be removed unintentionally. This occurs because internal_create_group() calls kernfs_remove() on the group directory even if the directory existed before the update attempt. The fix ensures that only directories created during the update are removed on failure, preventing silent destruction of pre-existing sysfs groups.

References

Community reviews

Loading reviews…

Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 6 Nov 2026, 17:03 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews

Related threats