Executive brief
A technical issue was identified in the Linux kernel's network file system (netfs) and Andrew File System (AFS) components. Under specific conditions involving high system activity, certain data updates to directories or links might be skipped without being properly rescheduled. This could theoretically lead to data inconsistency, though the risk is considered minimal in practical scenarios.
Technical details
A vulnerability in netfs_write_single() and afs_single_writepages() within the Linux kernel relates to improper handling of writeback operations when WB_SYNC_NONE is set and lock contention occurs. When a write is skipped due to a busy lock, the system failed to re-mark the inode as dirty, potentially leading the VFS to believe the data was successfully written. The fix ensures that if a write is skipped, the inode is re-marked as dirty so the writeback is retried later. This issue primarily affects AFS directory and symbolic link handling.
Affected products
- Linux Linux 6.14 through 6.18.33, 7.0.10
Timeline
- 2026-05-12: patched: Initial fix commit authored
- 2026-07-19: disclosed: CVE published