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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2026-72163: Linux kernel · ocfs2: fix NULL h_transaction deref in ocfs2_assure_trans_credits

Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database

0

Not known to be exploited · fixed in 5.15.0-1117.124~20.04.1 : update Linux kernel when convenient.

Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 00:58 UTC

Severity
Medium

Rated by Threat Radar · CVSS not yet scored by NVD

Patch
Available – fixed in 5.15.0-1117.124~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1123.132~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1122.131~20.04.1 +55

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 15 Aug 2026

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq 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

ProductAffectedFixed in
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threatsAffected
  • <7.0.0-38.38
Fixed in
  • 7.0.0-38.38
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threatsAffected
  • <7.0.0-1014.14
Fixed in
  • 7.0.0-1014.14
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threatsAffected
  • <7.0.0-1017.17
Fixed in
  • 7.0.0-1017.17
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threatsAffected
  • <7.0.0-1016.16
Fixed in
  • 7.0.0-1016.16
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threatsAffected
  • <7.0.0-1014.14
Fixed in
  • 7.0.0-1014.14
Ubuntu 26.04 LTSlinux-gkepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gke?arch=source&distro=resoluteOther threatsAffected
  • <7.0.0-1008.9
Fixed in
  • 7.0.0-1008.9

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ocfs2: fix NULL h_transaction deref in ocfs2_assure_trans_credits [BUG] A direct write over unwritten extents can panic the kernel in ocfs2_assure_trans_credits() when the journal aborts during DIO completion. The crash is a general protection fault from a NULL pointer dereference. [CAUSE] ocfs2_dio_end_io_write() loops over a direct write's unwritten extents, marking each written under a single journal handle. If the journal aborts (for example after an I/O error) while the extent tree is being updated, the handle is left aborted with its transaction pointer cleared. The extent merge treats that failure as not critical and reports success, so the loop keeps using the handle. ocfs2_assure_trans_credits() reads the handle's remaining credits without first checking whether the handle is aborted, and that read dereferences the cleared transaction pointer. [FIX] A journal abort is recorded in the handle itself, so callers are expected to test the handle rather than rely on a returned error. Make ocfs2_assure_trans_credits() do that, as the other ocfs2 journal helpers already do, and return -EROFS when the handle is aborted.

References

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