CVE-2026-68459
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's f2fs (Flash-Friendly File System) component. When a device is mounted with the gc_merge option, a specific interaction between kernel worker threads, the garbage collection thread, and the truncator can lead to a deadlock in the f2fs_balance_fs() function. This occurs when a memory page (folio) is locked and simultaneously awaited by multiple processes, resulting in a system-wide Denial of Service (DoS) condition.
Statement
This vulnerability is rated as Moderate severity because exploitation requires local access and non-standard filesystem mount options to trigger a system deadlock, restricting the impact to denial of service. The Flash-Friendly File System (f2fs) is not enabled in standard Red Hat Enterprise Linux kernel builds, and the vulnerable code is not included in shipped releases. As a result, supported Red Hat platforms are not affected under default configurations.
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 | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Local | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | N/A |
| Privileges Required | Low | 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:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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