VulnerabilityPublished 25 Sep 2026Updated 21 Oct 2026

CVE-2026-97949: Linux kernel · configfs: unhash the dentry before dropping the item in rmdir

Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · fixed in f06c2d26d1999d37e93299db0ecead04ca7d0b9f : update Linux kernel when convenient.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:30 UTC

Severity

Unrated

Rated by Threat Radar · CVSS not yet scored by NVD

EPSS: 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 6% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch: Available – fixed in f06c2d26d1999d37e93299db0ecead04ca7d0b9f, b315d865660766d45ecdbf7433a4e3d36a554b3b, 446720051d44eebaa81b33969173160057b73a33 +2

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 25 Sep 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.

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.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, 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 ≥ 7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa, < f06c2d26d1999d37e93299db0ecead04ca7d0b9f	Fixed in f06c2d26d1999d37e93299db0ecead04ca7d0b9f
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa, < b315d865660766d45ecdbf7433a4e3d36a554b3b	Fixed in b315d865660766d45ecdbf7433a4e3d36a554b3b
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa, < 446720051d44eebaa81b33969173160057b73a33	Fixed in 446720051d44eebaa81b33969173160057b73a33
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa, < 925d8564f1b2d9b46c5ab63b9bc942cea006da9b	Fixed in 925d8564f1b2d9b46c5ab63b9bc942cea006da9b
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa, < 5d7cbfb65e47cc71d5d94d87d5d0d1679080f3eb	Fixed in 5d7cbfb65e47cc71d5d94d87d5d0d1679080f3eb
LinuxLinux	Affected =2.6.16	Fixed in–

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: configfs: unhash the dentry before dropping the item in rmdir configfs_get_config_item() treats a hashed dentry as proof that sd->s_element is a live config_item. configfs_rmdir() breaks that: simple_rmdir() leaves the dentry hashed, the last reference to the item is dropped right after, and the dentry is only unhashed by d_delete() once ->rmdir() has returned. configfs_symlink() resolves its target holding no lock on it, so get_target() can land in that window: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in config_item_get+0x26/0x90 get_target fs/configfs/symlink.c:128 [inline] configfs_symlink+0x4ab/0x1030 fs/configfs/symlink.c:185 Unhash in configfs_remove_dir(), while the item is still guaranteed to be there. A reference obtained just before that stays harmless, as create_link() rechecks CONFIGFS_USET_DROPPING, already set by configfs_detach_prep(). Both configfs_unregister_subsystem() paths d_drop() after detaching, so this only makes rmdir match them.

References

Community reviews

Loading reviews…