CVE-2026-23053
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel. An NFSv4.1 client can experience a deadlock during memory reclaim. This occurs when state recovery waits on kthreadd while kthreadd attempts to reclaim memory by calling nfs_release_folio(), leading to a circular dependency. A local user can trigger this condition by initiating page cache activity on an NFS mount, resulting in hung tasks, system-wide stalls, and a Denial of Service (DoS).
Statement
An NFSv4.1 client can deadlock during memory reclaim because state recovery may wait on kthreadd while kthreadd attempts to reclaim memory by calling nfs_release_folio. The release path may require recovery to make progress, so the two paths can block each other and lead to hung tasks and system wide stalls. For the CVSS the PR is N because normal users can trigger page cache activity on an NFS mount and memory pressure can occur without special privileges. The issue is not directly network reachable. A remote or unstable server can influence recovery timing but the deadlock manifests on the client under local reclaim conditions. Impact is denial of service due to hung reclaim and stalled NFS operations.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 5.3 | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Adjacent Network | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | N/A |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | N/A |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | N/A |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | None | N/A | N/A |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU); DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory); DoS: Resource Consumption (Other)
If an attacker can trigger the allocation of the limited resources, but the number or size of the resources is not controlled, then the most common result is denial of service. This would prevent valid users from accessing the product, and it could potentially have an impact on the surrounding environment, i.e., the product may slow down, crash due to unhandled errors, or lock out legitimate users. For example, a memory exhaustion attack against an application could slow down the application as well as its host operating system.
Access Control,Other
Technical Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism; Other
In some cases it may be possible to force the product to "fail open" in the event of resource exhaustion. The state of the product -- and possibly the security functionality - may then be compromised.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not sure what something means? Check out our Security Glossary.
Want to get errata notifications? Sign up here.
