CVE-2026-43046
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's btrfs filesystem. This vulnerability allows an attacker with local access to trigger a kernel bug (system crash) by providing specially crafted, malformed btrfs metadata on disk. Specifically, an invalid state where drop_progress.objectid is non-zero and drop_level is zero in a root_item is not properly validated when read from disk. This can lead to a denial of service (DoS) when the system attempts to recover relocation or drop a snapshot.
Statement
Btrfs must reject inconsistent root items combining drop_progress with zero drop_level, avoiding broken drop state machines. Red Hat recommends btrfs users install metadata-integrity fixes.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, prevent the btrfs 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 | 5.5 | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Local | Local | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | Low | Low | N/A |
| Privileges Required | Low | Low | N/A |
| User Interaction | None | None | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | Unchanged | N/A |
| Confidentiality | None | None | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | None | None | N/A |
| Availability Impact | High | High | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
NVD: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Other
Technical Impact: Varies by Context
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