CVE-2026-46160

CVE-2026-46160 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: fix missing last_unlink_trans update when removing a directory When removing a directory we are not updating its last_unlink_trans field, which can result in incorrect fsync behaviour in case some one fsyncs the directory after it was removed because it's holding a file descriptor on it. Example scenario: mkdir /mnt/dir1 mkdir /mnt/dir1/dir2 mkdir /mnt/dir3 sync -f /mnt # Do some change to the directory and fsync it. chmod 700 /mnt/dir1 xfs_io -c fsync /mnt/dir1 # Move dir2 out of dir1 so that dir1 becomes empty. mv /mnt/dir1/dir2 /mnt/dir3/ open fd on /mnt/dir1 call rmdir(2) on path "/mnt/dir1" fsync fd <trigger power failure> When attempting to mount the filesystem, the log replay will fail with an -EIO error and dmesg/syslog has the following: [445771.626482] BTRFS info (device dm-0): first mount of filesystem 0368bbea-6c5e-44b5-b409-09abe496e650 [445771.626486] BTRFS info (device dm-0): using crc32c checksum algorithm [445771.627912] BTRFS info (device dm-0): start tree-log replay [445771.628335] page: refcount:2 mapcount:0 mapping:0000000061443ddc index:0x1d00 pfn:0x7072a5 [445771.629453] memcg:ffff89f400351b00 [445771.629892] aops:btree_aops [btrfs] ino:1 [445771.630737] flags: 0x17fffc00000402a(uptodate|lru|private|writeback|node=0|zone=2|lastcpupid=0x1ffff) [445771.632359] raw: 017fffc00000402a fffff47284d950c8 fffff472907b7c08 ffff89f458e412b8 [445771.633713] raw: 0000000000001d00 ffff89f6c51d1a90 00000002ffffffff ffff89f400351b00 [445771.635029] page dumped because: eb page dump [445771.635825] BTRFS critical (device dm-0): corrupt leaf: root=5 block=30408704 slot=10 ino=258, invalid nlink: has 2 expect no more than 1 for dir [445771.638088] BTRFS info (device dm-0): leaf 30408704 gen 10 total ptrs 17 free space 14878 owner 5 [445771.638091] BTRFS info (device dm-0): refs 4 lock_owner 0 current 3581087 [445771.638094] item 0 key (256 INODE_ITEM 0) itemoff 16123 itemsize 160 [445771.638097] inode generation 3 transid 9 size 16 nbytes 16384 [445771.638098] block group 0 mode 40755 links 1 uid 0 gid 0 [445771.638100] rdev 0 sequence 2 flags 0x0 [445771.638102] atime 1775744884.0 [445771.660056] ctime 1775744885.645502983 [445771.660058] mtime 1775744885.645502983 [445771.660060] otime 1775744884.0 [445771.660062] item 1 key (256 INODE_REF 256) itemoff 16111 itemsize 12 [445771.660064] index 0 name_len 2 [445771.660066] item 2 key (256 DIR_ITEM 1843588421) itemoff 16077 itemsize 34 [445771.660068] location key (259 1 0) type 2 [445771.660070] transid 9 data_len 0 name_len 4 [445771.660075] item 3 key (256 DIR_ITEM 2363071922) itemoff 16043 itemsize 34 [445771.660076] location key (257 1 0) type 2 [445771.660077] transid 9 data_len 0 name_len 4 [445771.660078] item 4 key (256 DIR_INDEX 2) itemoff 16009 itemsize 34 [445771.660079] location key (257 1 0) type 2 [445771.660080] transid 9 data_len 0 name_len 4 [445771.660081] item 5 key (256 DIR_INDEX 3) itemoff 15975 itemsize 34 [445771.660082] location key (259 1 0) type 2 [445771.660083] transid 9 data_len 0 name_len 4 [445771.660084] item 6 key (257 INODE_ITEM 0) itemoff 15815 itemsize 160 [445771.660086] inode generation 9 transid 9 size 8 nbytes 0 [445771.660087] block group 0 mode 40777 links 1 uid 0 gid 0 [445771.660088] rdev 0 sequence 2 flags 0x0 [445771.660089] atime 1775744885.641174097 [445771.660090] ctime 1775744885.645502983 [445771.660091] mtime 1775744885.645502983 [445771.660105] otime 1775744885.641174097 [445771.660106] item 7 key (257 INODE_REF 256) itemoff 15801 itemsize 14 [445771.660107] index 2 name_len 4 [445771.660108] item 8 key (257 DIR_ITEM 2676584006) itemoff 15767 itemsize 34 [445771.660109] location key (2 ---truncated---

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-46160?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: fix missing last_unlink_trans update when removing a directory When removing a directory we are not updating its last_unlink_trans field, which can result in incorrect fsync behaviour in case some one fsyncs the directory after it was removed because it's holding a file descriptor on it. Example scenario: mkdir /mnt/dir1 mkdir /mnt/dir1/dir2 mkdir /mnt/dir3 sync -f /mnt # Do some change to the directory and fsync it. chmod 700 /mnt/dir1 xfs_io -c fsync /mnt/dir1 # Move dir2 out of dir1 so that dir1 becomes empty. mv /mnt/dir1/dir2 /mnt/dir3/ open fd on /mnt/dir1 call rmdir(2) on path "/mnt/dir1" fsync fd <trigger power failure> When attempting to mount the filesystem, the log replay will fail with an -EIO error and dmesg/syslog has the following: [445771.626482] BTRFS info (device dm-0): first mount of filesystem 0368bbea-6c5e-44b5-b409-09abe496e650 [445771.626486] BTRFS info (device dm-0): using crc32c checksum algorithm [445771.627912] BTRFS info (device dm-0): start tree-log replay [445771.628335] page: refcount:2 mapcount:0 mapping:0000000061443ddc index:0x1d00 pfn:0x7072a5 [445771.629453] memcg:ffff89f400351b00 [445771.629892] aops:btree_aops [btrfs] ino:1 [445771.630737] flags: 0x17fffc00000402a(uptodate|lru|private|writeback|node=0|zone=2|lastcpupid=0x1ffff) [445771.632359] raw: 017fffc00000402a fffff47284d950c8 fffff472907b7c08 ffff89f458e412b8 [445771.633713] raw: 0000000000001d00 ffff89f6c51d1a90 00000002ffffffff ffff89f400351b00 [445771.635029] page dumped because: eb page dump [445771.635825] BTRFS critical (device dm-0): corrupt leaf: root=5 block=30408704 slot=10 ino=258, invalid nlink: has 2 expect no more than 1 for dir [445771.638088] BTRFS info (device dm-0): leaf 30408704 gen 10 total ptrs 17 free space 14878 owner 5 [445771.638091] BTRFS info (device dm-0): refs 4 lock_owner 0 current 3581087 [445771.638094] item 0 key (256 INODE_ITEM 0) itemoff 16123 itemsize 160 [445771.638097] inode generation 3 transid 9 size 16 nbytes 16384 [445771.638098] block group 0 mode 40755 links 1 uid 0 gid 0 [445771.638100] rdev 0 sequence 2 flags 0x0 [445771.638102] atime 1775744884.0 [445771.660056] ctime 1775744885.645502983 [445771.660058] mtime 1775744885.645502983 [445771.660060] otime 1775744884.0 [445771.660062] item 1 key (256 INODE_REF 256) itemoff 16111 itemsize 12 [445771.660064] index 0 name_len 2 [445771.660066] item 2 key (256 DIR_ITEM 1843588421) itemoff 16077 itemsize 34 [445771.660068] location key (259 1 0) type 2 [445771.660070] transid 9 data_len 0 name_len 4 [445771.660075] item 3 key (256 DIR_ITEM 2363071922) itemoff 16043 itemsize 34 [445771.660076] location key (257 1 0) type 2 [445771.660077] transid 9 data_len 0 name_len 4 [445771.660078] item 4 key (256 DIR_INDEX 2) itemoff 16009 itemsize 34 [445771.660079] location key (257 1 0) type 2 [445771.660080] transid 9 data_len 0 name_len 4 [445771.660081] item 5 key (256 DIR_INDEX 3) itemoff 15975 itemsize 34 [445771.660082] location key (259 1 0) type 2 [445771.660083] transid 9 data_len 0 name_len 4 [445771.660084] item 6 key (257 INODE_ITEM 0) itemoff 15815 itemsize 160 [445771.660086] inode generation 9 transid 9 size 8 nbytes 0 [445771.660087] block group 0 mode 40777 links 1 uid 0 gid 0 [445771.660088] rdev 0 sequence 2 flags 0x0 [445771.660089] atime 1775744885.641174097 [445771.660090] ctime 1775744885.645502983 [445771.660091] mtime 1775744885.645502983 [445771.660105] otime 1775744885.641174097 [445771.660106] item 7 key (257 INODE_REF 256) itemoff 15801 itemsize 14 [445771.660107] index 2 name_len 4 [445771.660108] item 8 key (257 DIR_ITEM 2676584006) itemoff 15767 itemsize 34 [445771.660109] location key (2 ---truncated---
How severe is CVE-2026-46160?
CVE-2026-46160 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-2026-46160 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (3rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2026-46160?
CVE-2026-46160 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2026-46160?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2026-46160 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2026-46160 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2026-32787.
When was CVE-2026-46160 published?
CVE-2026-46160 was published on 2026-05-28 and last updated on 2026-06-19.

References

Affected products (2)

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