CVE-2026-31454
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's XFS file system. This vulnerability occurs when the system incorrectly handles memory, specifically when a critical lock, known as the Address Index List (AIL) lock, is released too early during certain operations. This premature release can cause a piece of memory to be freed while still in use, leading to a "use-after-free" condition. Such a condition can result in system crashes, instability, or potentially allow an attacker with local access to gain elevated privileges or disrupt system services.
Statement
This XFS defect captures ailp before dropping the AIL lock so later locking does not follow a freed lip->li_ailp. Red Hat's position follows upstream: treat as serious kernel integrity until errata ships, with privilege escalation not assumed without further analysis. Supported offerings will inherit the fix via kernel updates.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, prevent the xfs module from being loaded. See https://access.redhat.com/solutions/41278 for instructions.
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 | 5.5 | N/A | 7.8 |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | Local |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | Low | N/A | Low |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | None | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity,Availability
Technical Impact: Modify Application Data; DoS: Instability; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
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