CVE-2026-23465

CVE-2026-23465 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: log new dentries when logging parent dir of a conflicting inode If we log the parent directory of a conflicting inode, we are not logging the new dentries of the directory, so when we finish we have the parent directory's inode marked as logged but we did not log its new dentries. As a consequence if the parent directory is explicitly fsynced later and it does not have any new changes since we logged it, the fsync is a no-op and after a power failure the new dentries are missing. Example scenario: $ mkdir foo $ sync $rmdir foo $ mkdir dir1 $ mkdir dir2 # A file with the same name and parent as the directory we just deleted # and was persisted in a past transaction. So the deleted directory's # inode is a conflicting inode of this new file's inode. $ touch foo $ ln foo dir2/link # The fsync on dir2 will log the parent directory (".") because the # conflicting inode (deleted directory) does not exists anymore, but it # it does not log its new dentries (dir1). $ xfs_io -c "fsync" dir2 # This fsync on the parent directory is no-op, since the previous fsync # logged it (but without logging its new dentries). $ xfs_io -c "fsync" . <power failure> # After log replay dir1 is missing. Fix this by ensuring we log new dir dentries whenever we log the parent directory of a no longer existing conflicting inode. A test case for fstests will follow soon.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-23465?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: log new dentries when logging parent dir of a conflicting inode If we log the parent directory of a conflicting inode, we are not logging the new dentries of the directory, so when we finish we have the parent directory's inode marked as logged but we did not log its new dentries. As a consequence if the parent directory is explicitly fsynced later and it does not have any new changes since we logged it, the fsync is a no-op and after a power failure the new dentries are missing. Example scenario: $ mkdir foo $ sync $rmdir foo $ mkdir dir1 $ mkdir dir2 # A file with the same name and parent as the directory we just deleted # and was persisted in a past transaction. So the deleted directory's # inode is a conflicting inode of this new file's inode. $ touch foo $ ln foo dir2/link # The fsync on dir2 will log the parent directory (".") because the # conflicting inode (deleted directory) does not exists anymore, but it # it does not log its new dentries (dir1). $ xfs_io -c "fsync" dir2 # This fsync on the parent directory is no-op, since the previous fsync # logged it (but without logging its new dentries). $ xfs_io -c "fsync" . <power failure> # After log replay dir1 is missing. Fix this by ensuring we log new dir dentries whenever we log the parent directory of a no longer existing conflicting inode. A test case for fstests will follow soon.
How severe is CVE-2026-23465?
CVE-2026-23465 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2026-23465 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (2nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-23465?
CVE-2026-23465 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-23465?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2026-23465 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2026-23465 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-18731.
When was CVE-2026-23465 published?
CVE-2026-23465 was published on 2026-04-03 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (5)

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